2 in 1
by Kitt SummerIsle
Summary: The war ends. What comes after? One side wins, the other loses. Coping with a win is no easier than coping with a loss. And sometimes the winners lose more...
1. Prologue

**Title**: 2 in 1  
**Continuity**: G1  
**Character(s)**: Starscream, Optimus Prime, Megatron

**Genre**: drama/angst

**Rating**: T  
**Warnings**: mentioning of violence, swearwords, slavery. darkfic

**Summary**: The war ends. What comes after?

**Disclaimer**: the usual.

**Note**: "normal speech" , _"comm line speech"_ , ::bond or gestalt bond speech:: , _character's own thoughts_

Klik/nanoklik - equivalent of seconds

Breem – equivalent of minutes

Joor – equivalent of hours

Orn – equivalent of days

Groon – equivalent of months

Vorn – equivalent of years

* * *

**Prologue**

Optimus Prime stood at the command deck of the Ark, gazing at the starscape as it streaked by on their mad dash towards their home. Back to Cybertron, after so much time, literally millions of vorns – it wasn't easy even to contemplate, much less to actually imagine what their home planet looked like these orns. They had so little contact with it, lacking a space bridge and mostly even shuttles. Earth and human culture was almost more familiar than the long-lost civilization that they used to have. Some of the younger bots never even lived in the Golden Era that preceded the war and thus never knew what it was like, how Transformers lived when not in war.

For them fuel was plain and simple energon, and the only variations to it were low-grade medical and a crude, home-brewed high grade to get overcharged on. They had no idea how many dozens of kinds and types of energon was manufactured for different tastes and credits. All types of solid sustenances were a thing of the past, from oil-cakes till gelled energon confections. All they knew about free-time was what Earth had to offer and none of the long forgotten Cybertronian sports were kept alive by anyone – nothing that wasn't considered as practice for fighting. And of course no mech has seen a sparkling for as long as the war went on and the last neutral groups had escaped to parts unknown in the endless universe.

They lost so much while warring for ideals, equality, dominance or supremacy – or by the end mainly for surviving. They lost most of what they started the war over and even the hypothetical winner would have very little to enjoy in the gutted planet with zero resources and hardly survivable conditions. Hardly anything material and even less ideological for the winners; the war that demanded survival at all costs crumbled away all that used to be noble in both their causes. Optimus Prime often had such breems when he did nothing but doubt in himself, in his soldiers, in the cause they represented, in the ideals that they used to uphold.

Were they still worthy of winning the war and be the ones dealing out justice? Were they still capable of being fair and just to the defeated enemies? What would be fair and just in that situation, what should they do with the remaining Decepticons if the need ever arose to make that decision? He wasn't sure and he hardly ever dared to share his doubts either. They all committed terrible things, with no exceptions. Take a few million vorns, add survival in it, mix well and you get shameful decisions inevitably. Did it matter what some of his soldiers said, that the Decepticons were more cruel, more deceitful, more ruthless? Was it a matter of black and white or rather the shades of grey? You did kill or you did not. That seems so easy to decide. But when you factor in self-defense, extenuating circumstances, a greater good, compelling circumstances and so on… they it all became shady and uncertain.

Not that gazing out of the window ever helped, Optimus mused sarcastically in himself, no more than it did on Earth. He lived from orn to orn, making the decisions as they came by, relying on the whispers of the Matrix the best he could, listening to his officers and friends whenever he could, doing what seemed best when the problems popped up – and hoping that Primus still thought them worthy of bearing the name of Transformers and give his blessing to their continued existence. Sometimes it was enough. Sometimes though… it was harder to believe in.

When Optimus Prime and his small group of Autobots took off to return to Cybertron, neither of them dared to think that they were going to see the war ended. It has been fought for so long that there were hardly anyone in either of the armies who actually remembered how to live in peacetime. The Neutrals were all gone to hiding, the Empties deactivated, the planet itself scarred, despoiled and polluted, the cities all gone; only a few fortified bases and outposts showed on the surface that there were still some life left. Under the cover of darkness noxious smoke billowed towards the sky from the burning ruins and in exchange acid rain came down to melt the rubble into the tortured ground. It was nearly at the end of their almost unlimited tolerance, even with billions of vorns of engineering that honed their systems to perfection.

Even the Autobots who hasn't seen the conditions here knew that Cybertron was barely livable and not only because of the lack of energon. The war eviscerated the planet completely and as the Ark descended towards the unseen surface, towards Ultra Magnus's base in the former Iacon region, Optimus Prime could only hope that their plans could succeed and end the war, before their whole race descended into a self-induced extinction. They lived long, but being a technical civilization, they couldn't live forever without industry, energy and resources, all the while fighting with the conditions they had on Cybertron.

Earth was full of those necessities and that's why both sides wanted to gain control of its sources for so long. Humanity was a faintly annoying bystander in that struggle at worst, untrustworthy allies at best; for whatever Humans thought of their role in the eons old conflict, neither side truly considered them as a significant factor. Their planet, yes. Their Sun and the energon it produced, yes. Their hardly even touched resources in metals and manufacturing, yes. Even their workforce by the more callous ones, mostly in the Decepticon camp; Optimus Prime firmly stood by the original Autobot tenets and while he, too accepted that Earth was a resource not to be wasted, its intelligent beings had the right to live free.

And so they descended towards their home-planet, the Ark and the shuttles packed full with energon and necessary metals, parts and manufactured goods, risking everything on the chance their contact promised. The oldest of the '_sleeping'_ agents that no other mech, only Jazz remembered, the one that hasn't made a single report in a few million vorns contacted them a groon ago. Megatron is facing more serious infighting than ever before, the message said tersely, Shockwave and Soundwave formed a faction within the army, the Seekers and some gestalts another and Megatron was forced to abandon Earth to deal with his own lieutenants. Come within three groons or so and you can overcome the infighting factions one by one – or the weakened winner if you are late.

It sounded too good to be true. Nor did most Autobots believe to this suddenly appearing secret agent whom neither of them knew. But Ultra Magnus took the risk of contacting them too; a message capsule travelling in real space, undetectable by the ever-spying Soundwave arrived shortly after the secret agent's news and him, they believed. The Decepticons left Earth indeed and Optimus Prime ordered the Ark freed from its stony prison, repaired and made spaceworthy again; shuttles being built and packed to the brim with energon and materials. The Humans were left with a promise – in time we'll return, hopefully friendly, thanks a lot for everything and good bye.

Plans were made, based on the scant information about the Decepticon factions and Ultra Magnus's forces. Prime, Prowl and Smokescreen hardly recharged any during the mad dash through the galaxy; during their time on Earth, Cybertron continued on its blind course, careening from the push of one gravitational field to another, getting further from Earth's solar system all the time. Plans were made, tentative, hesitant as to what to do if, or rather when they won – with the planet and with the Decepticons. Not many of them wanted to see them deactivated, but none wanted things to return to their pre-war state, with the class inequalities and caste system. Even the most vengeful Autobots knew that that would be a sure-fire recipe for another rebellion and war in the future, even overstepping the moral dilemmas and ethical considerations.

Descending among the space trash that encircled the planet, Optimus Prime mused on the bridge of the Ark alone for the last time. All his Autobots were ready in the cargo holds and by the other exits, bristling with weapons and determination, waiting to act as soon as they touched down. They made sure that no spying satellites or accidental neutral traders took the news of their landing to either Decepticon faction. They made sure that none of them even suspected that the Autobots knew about their infighting. They made every precaution that any sane mech could think of – and borrowed some more from Red Alert too – to ensure success.

And still, Optimus Prime was uneasy. He has been uneasy for quite some time, but as absolutely nothing supported his suspicion, he was forced to put aside his doubts and act. He would have put it down to his indecision and hesitancy to act aggressively, if not for the Matrix. The artifact has been shooting vague warnings towards his consciousness – nothing concrete, nothing he could act on, only a vague disquiet clamoring to him from through the ages and ancestors, that he couldn't use. The comm line opened, Prowl wanted him on the landing deck and he had to put aside the unease. He had made the decision and now must act. The time was too late for musing and consternation. With a last glance to the starfield that glowed softly behind them, Optimus Primes traversed the corridors and joined his mechs in preparation.


	2. Change of Fortune

**Warnings**: some violence, language and mentioning of slavery

* * *

**Chapter 2. – Change of fortune**

* * *

** Battle**

A scant joor after the landing the war was history. The chosen battlefield hardly saw any fighting as they had outnumbered the Autobots so much so that many simply gave up resisting and surrendered at once. The plot, the bait, the lies, the deception, the setup and at the end the ambush were all perfectly organized and executed. Instead of falling on the infighting, fragmented Decepticon factions, the Autobots who exited the Ark were encircled silently and secretly by a well-trained and perfectly obedient army – even Starscream shut up and did what he was told, as the plan was in a great part his this time. The Seekers lay low until the entrapment was complete and then the whole Decepticon army rose as one.

Special care was taken to have Optimus Prime targeted by the triplechangers with the biggest fire-power, with no cover anywhere nearby and cut off from his mechs who could have helped him. Similar care brought down Ultra Magnus only a few orns earlier, just before his team surrendered. Preemptive fire took out the snipers and sharpshooters from their positions that they prepared for them with a single crucial vulnerability that only the Decepticons knew. The Ark and the shuttles were overrun before any of the Autobots could even turn back and think of their fate. The Aerialbots were grounded by the multitude of Seekers that they couldn't hope to match in numbers and firepower. The whole operation was an apotheosis of planning, cunning and discipline – the pinnacle of the Decepticon military superiority.

"Surrender Prime! Or see all your mechs deactivated right here. I promise you to be the last to see them all offlined!" – Megatron, for once was not facing the Prime on the battlefield, hard that it was to convince him not to do so. He stood instead on the highest point of the rise, overlooking the entrapped Autobots. The Seekers circled overhead, taking potshots at those they thought lifted a weapon or started moving towards the encircling line of mechs, Starscream cackling madly in his elation, but the rest of them quiet, vocalizers unable to even taunt the enemy as they realized the importance and the tension of the moment.

Optimus Prime didn't move, couldn't speak, didn't even comm his mechs in utter desolation. He failed them at last, for he saw no way out from their predicament. A despairing glance at Prowl, doorwings stooping low; another to Jazz, the saboteur's madly flashing visor telling the same as the SIC's appendages; no way out, no method that would work, no plot that could be hatched in so little time. Ironhide's rising blaster was picked out by a Seeker and he was too shocked to even curse their opponents as his damaged arm dropped unresponsive to his side. Everyone stood shocked to their sparks and into an immobile stupor. To walk into such an ambush, to be deceived to this level – it was unthinkable.

Everyone stood still, except two. Their comms were almost slower than the speed with which the red and gold blurs moved – "_save the prime fools_" – and – "_break towards the Ark_" – echoed on all Autobot frequencies as the twins took on the triplechangers who kept Optimus at bay. Their desperation, might and fury almost got them through. Almost, as Megatron and Starscream expected them to try and make a break for themselves, not to save the Prime, not to try and spur others into action and tailored the opposition for that. But still, it wasn't quite enough, they weren't strong enough, desperate enough, many enough.

They were shot down mercilessly by the Seekers who were eager to repay them every klik of Jet Judo from over the vorns. Anyone else who moved was brought down too - and Megatron's main forces haven't even had to move yet. The twins were on the ground, alive still albeit barely and as Ratchet moved to run towards them he was caught by an indigo flash and reappeared beside Megatron, well out of the circle, held fast despite of his cursing and frantic efforts to free himself. The Prime haven't moved, and neither did his officers except Ironhide – the rest of them knew that the breakout attempt had zero chance to succeed.

"If you surrender, they may get repairs. Your decision… _brother_." – the last word was almost spat from Megatron's vocalizer as he held the cursing medic easily with one hand. He didn't even need to lift his plasma cannon; the Decepticons had enough fire-power on the field to decimate the Autobot army several times over should the fools decide to resist.

Optimus felt the despair touch his core, the Matrix twitching within with an almost audible clang. So this was it. It was the end and the only choice left to him was to choose between honorable death and uncertain fate in survival. He had little doubt as to what their fate would be if he surrendered. Slavery most likely and probably the worst kind. Still, he had to consider it. He had to ask and his soldiers, his comrades had to have their say in it, to suicide by attacking the Decepticons – or willing to live to see another orn.

"What fate do you wish to bestow upon us?"

"Why, only what your kind bestowed upon mine. Nothing more, nothing less. In fact I intend to be a more fair master than your nobles and senators used to be. Your Autobots will work on rebuilding the planet and you have my word that it will be all. When it is done… then I will decide what to do next."

One thought rose in the Autobots' processors with many different wording but with the same intent, bitter with uncertainty – could they trust in Megatron's word, in his promise? Was it worth living or an honorable death would be preferable? Optimus Prime looked around, caught their optics, one by one. They weren't really that many and they knew each other for long; comrades, soldiers, sometimes friends or lovers. Rebuilding the planet, their home was an alluring goal whatever the circumstances. Maybe even worth the slavery if the alternative was to be deactivated. Humans had a saying, he suddenly remembered – while there is life, there is hope. A tiny weight in the equation was two brave mechs dying slowly on the ground in front of them – perhaps not the one shifting the scales but certainly part of it.

* * *

**Surrender**

"I surrender." – a blaster drops to the ground, the energon sword follows it, symbols of his words, his choice, his decision. He only regrets that the Matrix will be their prize, a toy to use as Megatron sees fit. An exulting shriek answers his words from above, Starscream expressing his pent-up tension while Megatron's blood-red optics only flash once and dim back, his faceplates betraying no emotion that he too must feel. A wave from his servo and Skywarp teleports Ratchet to the twins, letting him save them. The more slaves the better for the good of the Decepticon Empire. He exults only in himself and it is just Soundwave who hears it, his control outwardly is so good if he wishes it tobe so.

They have won the war. Not many of his Decepticons could still believe in it, even as they see the Autobots drop their weapons one by one. Disbelief and amazement is written on their faces, their movements as the lieutenants direct them to collect the weapons and herd the beaten, dejected Autobots into carefully worked out groups. Optimus Prime is led away alone, chained, restrained like his main officers. Prowl looks after him, realizing the catch far too late in Megatron's words – the promise he made referred only his Autobots, not to Optimus himself. The rest of them are grouped, transported and placed into holding cells where they meet with Ultra Magnus's mechs in similar conditions. The same kind of disbelief grips both armies for different reasons – they all need time to get used to the situation.

The only mech free of the disbelief for now is Ratchet who works feverishly to keep the Twins' sparks spinning. He doesn't dare to think what their fate will be in slavery, what fate he is saving them for. The frontliners cannot be expected to accept the slave status or to obey to anyone just like that. Their nature quite precludes that for them, even if they tried – which he doesn't think likely either. Ratchet privately is surprised by the controlled, restrained behaviour of the Decepticons. He would have expected by this time some more gloating, demonstration of power, control, dominance and some abuse from them. Certainly during the war no Autobot prisoner was treated so… normally, he finds the word as they are doing it now.

But instead of the exulted aggression they too look… subdued, almost dazed. Granted the final battle – if it can even be called that – was quite anticlimactic and offered them neither glory nor revenge. As far as he could see, it gave them no celebration either; aside from that single shriek from the Air Commander he hardly even heard a victorious yell. It was strange, bordering on queer to see that the vicious warrior Decepticons won the war and in victory they behaved almost… normally. He, too was herded into a cell, the twins' frames laid on berths, restrained, but he was allowed to continue to work on them, even got supplies and tools for the repair. Was this what he expected had he ever thought the Decepticons winning the war? Admitting to himself that he did not was harder than he imagined.

The next orn brought a bit more of how they imagined the Decepticons to behave victorious and gloating over their prisoners. The guards started to remove the Autobots from their cells one by one and none were returned. Questions went unanswered, insistent questions met with forceful silencing. Resistance to their handling was swiftly broken down by sheer numbers, strength and occasionally, in the case of whom they considered dangerous, stasis cuffs. Officers were handled no differently from simple soldiers, only with more caution. Despite of the occasional violence, it still struck Ratchet as more than queer, far more benign approach than any of them expected. The Prime was the only one taken away at once and none of them saw him ever since – they quite expected Megatron gloating over him privately… or worse.

* * *

**Prison**

Bumblebee, like those who had gotten into Decepticon prisons before, was really nervous and not a little afraid. He thought that he knew what they could expect and it didn't promise to be nice. He saw the cold calculation behind the seemingly gentle handling of the prisoners, and, like Prowl and some others, suspected the Seeker Air Commander's genius, if damaged mind behind it. It certainly wasn't Megatron's style and it was far more devious to be Soundwave's. He was with Grapple, Smokescreen and First Aid in one cell and the assortment struck him as illogical, but with a subtle undercurrent of calculation that he couldn't determine. They were mostly calm, just like the rest of the Autobots; drugged would be his first choice of a reason for their own behaviour, save for the fact that they haven't gotten any energon yet.

He couldn't see the rest of the cells, but from the build and the condition of theirs and the distance from their landing point his guess was that they were somewhere the old Kaon palace dungeons. Grapple confirmed his guess after examining the metallic blocks that made up the walls around them and he knew. They were allowed to talk within the cells but when Ironhide shouted along the corridor, asking for anyone who's seen Optimus Prime since their capture, he was quickly subdued and silenced. Afterwards he only heard Ratchet swearing loudly when the twins were judged to be repaired adequately and they were taken out of his cell and into separate ones. That, they could all hear for long; apparently even the Decepticons knew the futility of trying to silence Ratchet when he went on a cursing spree.

"Smokey, doesn't it strike you as odd, how sane and restrained the Cons behave?"

"Odd, no. Frightening is more like it. I'd take a cursing Con with blows to my helm any day. These… I don't know."

"Same here. I could never imagine them so calm and calculating. Only a few. Like Megs or Screamer. Shockwave. You know."

"Yeah, I know. Same here."

"They look drugged in a way." – First Aid was shivering with unease as the gestalts were separated, but listening in their conversation too.

"Old buckethead would drug his own army before the battle? Hardly possible."

"A code then. Activating only when he gave the sign or something."

"But why?"

"He wanted us as slaves, not dead." – Smokescreen realized. – "Normally the Cons would tear apart as many of us as they could, but he even let Ratchet fix the twins. Besides he needs them calmer if we won't be there to fight with."

"Frightening future. Sane Cons and a considerate Megs. What next? A benign Screamer?" – they all shared a grin at that.

"So far they are acting… well, normal. Maybe… maybe they are not as bad…"

"Don't finish that. Don't expect them to change suddenly. They are still Decepticons. They have a plan and they want to use us to achieve it. They didn't become compassionate all of a sudden." – Grapple so far was silent and probably that's why they listened to him all the more when he suddenly spoke up. And he was right. These were still Decepticons and they should not hope much. Or maybe none at all.

* * *

Note: I'd love it if anyone who suspected this kind of a twist would say so in a review; I'm fairly sure that I gave no indication other than Optimus Prime's unease in the prologue. :-)


	3. Slaves

**Warnings**: violence, slavery, mind controll

**Note**: "normal speech" , _"comm line speech"_ , ::bond/gestalt bond:: , _character's own thoughts_

* * *

**Chapter 3. - Slaves**

* * *

** Collars**

One by one the Autobots were taken away and the cells emptied. The guard told nothing to the remaining mechs, didn't answer to any questions, even though their calm behaviour continued and the prisoners suffered neither abuse nor starvation. Only their uncertain fate was hovering above their helms like a sword – and their friends' fates who had already been taken away. What system the Decepticons used to handle the prisoners, they couldn't determine still; it would have been logical to take the strongest and most dangerous ones, but Sunstreaker was still there, driving his cell-mates crazy with his growling and threats, while his twin was gone by the second joor.

"You there! Come on obediently or we'll make you. Your choice." – It was one of the Stunticons, called Breakdown, with a mech unfamiliar to him, pointing to Bumblebee as they opened the cell door.

Bumblebee decided to comply for now, as it was unlikely that he could overpower any of them if no mech else could before him. Complying might mean more opportunities later, the once spec ops mech thought. But as he stepped out of the cell though, he felt the stasis cuff locking over his wrists, effectively numbing his arms and making it hard to balance as the other mech pushed him forward. Opportunities suddenly seemed to get further away from him. He was led through quite a number of corridors, before arriving into a brightly lit place that looked a cross between a repair bay and a high-tech lab.

Bumblebee had the uneasy feeling that he might be the subject of whatever experiments took place in there. The presence of Hook and Shockwave besides a number of drones around just reinforced that fear and he stopped, unable to go on by his own volition. But the guards would have none of it and he was pushed inside and forced onto a berth, restrained quickly. Not cruelly, but securely. It still creeped him out how uncharacteristically all Decepticons behaved.

"What are you doing to me?"

"Nothing special… just what makes you obedient and hard-working… a perfect, albeit little slave to build the glory of the Decepticon Empire." – it was a slag that only Shockwave could spout with a straight face.

For some reason it did nothing to calm his fears, but he could do nothing as he lay there, unable to move or defend himself. He was scanned for subspace pockets that were emptied of anything and locked so he could not access any of them again. His weapons had already been taken the orn before, but now even the weapons subsystems were completely removed. His comms, radio and every wireless access were taken out or sealed. He grew even more afraid as to what they were still doing to him, but nothing else was removed, only his transformation cog was jammed and fitted with something that prevented him from using it.

The collar that came last was no surprise; he was sure that the Decepticons would employ something like it, both for control and humiliation. The collar fused into his nerve relays and its dominating, irresistible code started to overwrite his systems one by one. By the time it finished, Bumblebee knew that he couldn't escape, couldn't rebel, couldn't do anything on his own – he was truly made into a slave. The monitors that checked the code's progress signaled green as its work was done. The restraints weren't necessary any more, as he was ordered to stand he did without thinking, awaiting the next order. He couldn't fight it. He couldn't scream and curse his fate even.

"Go to the barracks, marked by the Autobot symbol. You will start working next orn."

He went. The code didn't require to him even to answer, and he was in a way thankful for that. The barracks were in the edge of the town, far from the palace and the segment of the town that the Decepticons occupied themselves. He was glad for that too – the farther the better. With the collar's total, enforced obedience they could abuse him in any way they wanted to and he'd prefer to avoid that.

The rest of the Autobots were there, much in the same condition as himself, disarmed, collared, enslaved and in appropriate low spirits. They could talk as they discovered, the collars were pretty much inactive, letting them to do whatever they wanted – unless they tried to leave. Then they punished and immobilized the ones who tried and the others couldn't even help them. One by one the rest of the Autobots joined them in one of the three barracks that was designated as their home for the foreseeable future. All, except the Prime, whom none of them saw since the defeat.

After they were all inside, including the last mech, Sunstreaker, who showed clear signs of forcefully opposing to the treatment they were subjected to, the outer doors opened and Megatron stepped in, with Starscream and a few guards in tow. Their slave codes gave them the suggestion of shutting up and listen to their masters and those who did not obey, learned soon the levels of punishing jolts that the collars could give. In time even the swearing Sunstreaker fell silent; Megatron only watched it with a disdaining smirk and started to speak when they all fell silent.

"From now on you will work as I promised, do whatever work you are ordered to do and you will obey to the guards and all Constructicons. I won't tolerate any disobedience from anyone. You are slaves and you will do as you are told. Understood?"

Now, the sneaking codes in their processors told them to answer. With various expressions and faces, a few murmured 'yes, Master' tore out from some vocalizers. Mostly they still tried not to say that word. It was just too much. Megatron interestingly wasn't disturbed by it in the very least; he knew that the slave codes would continue to integrate into their processors and make them obey. He saw no need to punish them and it wouldn't give him any satisfaction to beat a mech who was prevented from defending himself by coding. In fact he was not very interested in the slaves standing obediently around, unable to harm him, ready to work. He was far more looking forward to the one, still uncollared, waiting restrained in Starscream's lab - Optimus Prime.

The Seeker has really outdone himself in this, Megatron thought snidely; the slave codes were far more elaborate than the crude, punishing version that he himself suffered so long ago. The collars had three modes and they rotated between those according to the slaves' behaviour, but were changeable by the guards as well. In the barracks, among themselves they mostly reset to the lightest setting that basically only forbid them to escape. Outside, the stronger, more restrictive level made them obedient to the guards and the Constructicons who would control the rebuilding process. And, if needed, the collars could be set to the strictest level that basically made them unable to move unless specifically ordered to.

Some of the collars were tailored even to the individuals; the twins and some other fighter types got such for example to curb their aggression, and the Prime's main officers got personal attention from the Seeker's coding ability too. Prowl was unable to access his battle computer, while Jazz seemed to have forgotten his spec ops training. They both took it very hard, despite of the leniency that the Cons showed towards them in general and what the Autobots still marveled at.

One of their barracks was just for the Autobot fliers, also with special programming and restrictions. Starscream argued on their behalf too, stating unequivocally during the planning that if they weren't allowed to fly at least occasionally, then it would be far easier to just deactivate them straight away. Besides, as he said construction work was one where having a few fliers was actually useful – as most of the Seekers knew very well from their experiences before the war. Megatron, convinced by this time to enslave the Autobots for their usefulness instead of revenge didn't object.

Therefore, they retained their ability to fly, albeit with great restrictions. The Aerialbots' gestalt bond was just as suppressed as the other kind of bonds, but it only made the young fliers even more clingy towards each other. They couldn't fly high or far unless their flight plan was approved by a guard, but even the short breems they could spend in the air were something they too didn't expect. Skyfire was an exception from even those exceptions, as he had to do long-range, interstellar deliveries along with the Decepticon shuttles; at first he fully expected Starscream to lay claim to him, but as it never happened, he had to conclude that the Seeker must have forgotten him.

* * *

**Matrix**

They needed to take the Matrix out before doing anything else to its bearer – that blasted relic would disable any collar or coding in kliks. Starscream promised success in a few orns and since the Seeker did deliver results lately and kept off of any signs of a rebellion, Megatron gave him the time uninterrupted. They didn't need to hurry anyway; Optimus Prime alone, restrained, separated from his mechs could easily be kept safe until they could fit him with a collar too. Keeping their leader's fate from the Autobots was just another tool to break their spirits; they both knew – himself from personal experience, Starscream, because he wrote the thing - that no slave coding could achieve that. Only time.

Starscream has never been a particularly religious mech. He has seen far too much, he has lost far too much and he was a scientist, trained to believe what he saw and what he could measure. Gods didn't belong to either category. Primus for the Seeker was just a convenient expression to curse or swear by and that was that. But he has never before seen the Matrix and its shimmering, undulating, undefined and unreal surfaces that strangely seemed to call out for him with a voice that he strictly refused to label as Primus's. It swirled and shimmered as he observed it with his optics, while his scanners insisted that it was a perfectly still, unmoving and unenergized piece of delicate alloy made from an unusual but not unheard of combination of metals.

The Seeker was absolutely unmoved by the fact that this fascinating piece of history? Science? Religion? Technology? Something… was housed in a living, restrained mech's spark-chamber that he callously forced open, not even bothering to sedate him for it. Megatron was clear in his orders and although inconvenient, he was going to obey them to the letter: at the end of five orns present an unharmed Matrix and a living Optimus Prime to him separated. There was no warning about the mech's condition, so he would almost have a free hand in the method of extraction. The problem was that the slave codes wouldn't work with the Matrix still in, so he couldn't be just ordered to remove it - and without his cooperation it would be kind of hard to remove it without destroying the spark it was around.

It didn't even occur to Starscream to ask the Prime to remove it – not that he would have complied anyway but still, the attitude was typical of the Seeker. Optimus Prime was trying to keep himself from purging and screaming inwardly as the pain ebbed and rose in his chest while Starscream applied different scanners and tools into it. The Matrix itself was silent and Optimus spared to his honored ancestors a single, bitter thought - '_now would be a good time to help, slaggers_' – but the priceless artifact remained stubbornly unresponsive to both of them. His vocalizer disabled he couldn't scream aloud and Starscream didn't ask him anything, not expecting the Prime to be cooperative in robbing him of the relic. He was locked into his body with only the pain as company.

Leaning over the open, and unusually big spark-chamber, the Seeker mused at the Matrix. It was situated completely around the spark, encircling it from all sides. But it must have gone there some way, and so it was possible to reverse that process and take it off. He only had to find out how. It was logically either the Matrix's material reforming itself, or the spark to slip through the artifact's intricate latticework. Or magic, but he didn't work with that. Starscream started with the spark, correctly deducing that if the Matrix was truly something Godly created and manipulated then it was easier to work with the spark that he had at least studied before. Prodding the living spark in front of him absentmindedly he thought of methods that could achieve the deforming of it.

Five long, busy, thoughtful and sometimes dangerously risky orns later, Starscream at last held the Matrix in his servos, marveling at its intricate workmanship. He knew better than try to claim it as his own and not out of fear from Megatron; that the Matrix destroyed painfully those who were not compatible and presumed to attain it for themselves, was well known. Every time a Prime deactivated there were some fools who tried it, to gain the Matrix without It giving them the required signs to show Its acceptance. He was more intelligent than that, and knew that the artifact whispering to him almost seductively was not the sign of acceptance – only Its examination of the Seeker, a test of sorts.

It galled him not to be the one who could use the Matrix, but at least he knew that it wouldn't be Megatron either – the Lord Protector had been refused by It eons ago, they both knew, although he wouldn't dare to remind him of this. Nor could he even imagine anyone else among the Decepticons whom Primus… or the artifact would accept as Optimus Prime's successor and he was sure no Autobot would get to be offered to try it. Speaking of which… he glanced at the former Prime on the lab table. He was certainly alive, if the pained jerking and squirming was any indication, but the look of his chest area would make any Decepticon interrogator proud.

Besides what it took to remove the Matrix, it must have been extremely painful afterwards to revert to his former size and stature that he used to have before the Matrix remolded him to be fit for a Prime. _If it was Primus's doing, then the slagger is crueler by far than me_ - the Seeker thought and scowled. He loosened the restraints that were placed to hold the bigger frame there and stretched the now smaller limbs out painfully. Placing the Matrix in a secure container and locking it with his own codes Starscream commed to Megatron.

"_My Lord, I'm ready. The Matrix is secure and the Prim…. Optimus survived the extraction, albeit he reverted to his pre-Matrix stature_."

"_Excellent, Starscream. I believe you might be useful after all… if you continue to behave_."

"_As you say… My Lord_." – it also galled to be disdained still. Has he not showed lately that he could be useful and obedient, if given the respect that he deserved? But it was a fool's wish to see the Tyrant change so suddenly. He changed as much as he was capable of anyway. – "_Do you wish them to be transported to your chambers or will you come here?"_

"_I'll be there in a breem. Don't show or speak of the Matrix to anyone, not even your Trine mates."_

"_As you wish, My Lord."_

As he waited to Megatron, he closed up the Prim… Optimus's spark chamber and fixed the damage he caused to the mech while working on him to take the Matrix out. It was just to pass the time, he told himself, certainly not out of compassion for the mech. He was just one of the Autobot slaves now, nothing special. Well, Megatron might think otherwise, the Seeker knew; after all, they were almost brothers. Primes and their Lord Protectors… Starscream snorted, as he continued to work on the mech. Their relationship has always been either brotherly or that of lovers… or sometimes both. Whether to be handled separately from the other slaves would be beneficial for the Prim… Optimus, or not they shall see soon.

"Starscream."

"Here, My Lord." – he showed the transparent container with its precious contents to the warlord. Surprisingly, the slagger didn't even try to touch it and hardly cast a glance to it before turning to the Seeker again. Presumably, he too remembered the first try and gave the artifact a wide margin.

"Take it to my quarters personally and lock it into the safe that I prepared. Only the two of us shall know the combination, as we cannot use it."

"You don't intend to find a new Prime then." – not really surprising. A Prime would mean threat to his power and authority, even if the mech turned out to be a Decepticon. Especially if it was a Decepticon, come to think of it…

"No. The Primes led us into the war. They only ever represented the privileged castes. I can rule better without one."

"As you wish My Lord."

"I will also return to my old title – Lord Protector."

"Yes… Lord Protector… it is fitting… but will it not remind mechs to the Prime even more?"

"It'd better not."

Like he forbidding it would cause mechs to not to think of it… Starscream shrugged inwardly and did what he was told. At the moment it suited him to obey as it strengthened his influence among the troops every orn and with every successful task. It looked more and more likely that the road to power lay not through Megatron personally, but through more subtle ways.

* * *

**Optimus**

Megatron turned towards the lab table, looking over the familiar red-and-blue coloured, but significantly smaller than before mech laying there. He wasn't sure if it would happen if Starscream managed to extract the Matrix; there was no precedent of a Prime losing it by force and survive the experience. It wasn't against his fancy to have his arch-enemy in his power and be smaller than him; it would make all the easier to handle him and subdue if needed. Optimus was silent and unmoving in his bonds as Starscream left him on the table. There was hardly any damage on him, although the extraction must have been extremely painful.

"Optimus."

He didn't answer, only spared him am undecipherable glance from those innocent-blue, but presently ice-cold optics. He didn't move either and Megatron wondered what he expected to happen to him. Given his reputation among the Autobots, probably nothing good. Nor had he intended to handle him with compassion; as far as he was concerned the Autobots totally deserved their fate by being the snobbish, hypocritical, prejudiced slaggers right until the end; and he personally would pay for a lot of the treatment that the Senate handled the lower castes. Megatron conveniently forgot that Optimus Prime was personally against many of those questionable decrees that he and his Decepticons rebelled against. Noticing that Starscream arrived back from his errand, he ordered him before he could change his mind.

"Collar him like the others and have him delivered to my chambers when it is ready." – he watched the blue optics widen as he hear it and smirked cruelly. Let him be afraid of whatever he wanted to. – "He is to be called as Optimus, without the title from now on."

"As you wish, My Lord."

The Seeker didn't dawdle and put Optimus through everything the others got – disarming, sealing the subspace pockets, disabling the weapons subsystems and the transformation cogs; and at the end put on the collar, specifically designed to him. Megatron demanded special programming for him and Starscream followed his instructions to the letter; after he was allowed to stand up from the table, Optimus would not be able to escape or contact to his mechs, but making him obey would be Megatron's task. Because of that, he didn't remove the stasis cuffs from his wrists; Megatron could deal with him as he saw fit, but Starscream wasn't going to fight with a slave to push him through the corridors when he didn't need to, even though Optimus was now the same size as himself and totally unarmed.

"Here he is My Lord." – he shoved Optimus to his knee joints on the floor in front of Megatron's desk and didn't miss the irony of the situation; he kneeled on that spot often enough to suspect what was going to happen to him. But it didn't mean that he wanted to see it. Being an agnostic and caring very little for the Autobot's personification of Primus didn't mean that he'd want to see any mech punished like he was all too often. – "If that is all, My Lord, I'd like to retire. It's been a long five orns."

"Starscream. You did surprisingly well. Keep it up and you don't have to be afraid of a punishment any more. You might even deserve a reward."

_Sure_, the Seeker thought, _because now you have a new toy to break_. _Wonder how soon you get bored with him. He won't behave like I did. _But aloud he only said the expected words:

"Thank you My Lord." – better not yet ask him what he wanted as reward. The fragger probably already knew that he wanted Skyfire for his own use, but since he decreed that no other Autobot was to be any Decepticon's personal slave it would take some time and subtle manipulations to achieve that.

Optimus looked up and around as the Seeker left the warlord's chambers. They were spacious and elegant, but not excessively so, showing Megatron's stark and militaristic tastes in furniture and decoration. He was sitting behind a huge, black table that was covered with datapads and empty cubes, on a dark metallic chair that was just shy of a throne, upholstered with a dark purple metallomesh covering. The walls displayed weapons of many kinds from swords till firearms, tastefully arranged but menacing nonetheless. Optimus felt the coding that insinuated itself into his processor forbidding him to touch any of them. Not that he'd be able to fight Megatron off presently, he thought sarcastically, the difference between their stature and strength that had so far been minuscule was now drastically more. Interesting that the latter thought, about fighting with him garnered no retribution from the code, he mused.

His spark still twinged occasionally from the things Starscream did to him and the bond to Ironhide was still suppressed, probably from his side, but he didn't want to show either pain. Megatron was still just staring at him, smirking occasionally, like one fantasizing exactly what to do with this suddenly available subject for his revenge and fancy. They gazed at each other for a good breem before Megatron stood suddenly and was towering over the still kneeling, so much smaller now Optimus and he couldn't help but twitch as a big, black hand descended to grab him by his neck and lifting him up, he gave the most surprising order…

"Clean up my table, slave!"

Optimus was flung into the table that in his present condition stood almost to his chest level and looked back to Megatron incredulously. _The fragger expects me to act like his servant…?_ He straightened up from the crooked position and saw the gunformer looking at him awaiting, smirking cruelly, huge arms crossed over his silver-grey chest. He was looking at Optimus intently and apparently expecting him to refuse and therefore start the punishment-beating-training cycle. Optimus knew this look from old, it was his dangerous-but-manipulating one that he used to wear when he'd faced the Senate.

_He is serious… well then, two can play this game_, he thought, as the slave coding remained blessedly, if unexpectedly silent still. Megatron could deal with resistance, opposition or rebellion easily, but he had always had problems with compliant, compromise-seeking attitudes. They couldn't be solved with manipulation or force, his favourite tactics. Glancing at the table Optimus started to put the datapads he could reach into order, not even trying to hide as he skimmed some of them for potentially useful contents. He turned back to the tyrant's deep laugh with a datapad in his servo.

"It fits better into your servos than the sword." – he mocked as he stalked closer and threw himself back into the chair. – "Don't bother to hide that you read them, you can't reveal anything to any mech."

Optimus felt the statement to be true as the coding victoriously exulted in his processor. He could read all the plans, the reports, the most sensitive materials Megatron had access to and still unable to use or disclose them in any way. They were as good as buried into his memory banks. Clever. At least he wouldn't lack reading materials, he consoled himself just a bit sourly as he continued to clear away the empty energon cubes and the small platters with the remnants of some energon confections from the table. _The Decepticons have restarted the manufacture of these already? Where did they get the energon for this? _It didn't hurt to ask.

"How do you get the energon if you abandoned Earth?" – something twisted in his processor and he found himself vocalizing against his will – "… Master…" – the word tasted dark and bitter in his vocalizer, having been forced out by the clever coding and Optimus hotly imagined the genius Seeker's neck squeezed by his servos to show him exactly how much he appreciated his brilliant work.

Megatron laughed long and nastily at the naïve question and the forced utterance at the end. – "We never really left that mudball. We made a pact with other powers that opposed the one you allied yourselves with. They supply us with all necessary resources for letting them alive and free – as long as they deliver."

Optimus nodded to himself, despite of still seething about the coding that forced him to call Megatron as Master - it made perfect sense. Even the USA government was vary of their so-called alien allies and the other forces on Earth could well believe the Decepticons, who, as their name signified were good at deceiving the gullible humans. _Well, it is not my concern any more_, he thought, somewhat guilty about the ease and speed with which he abandoned the humans' cause that he swore to protect. Not that they could do that any more – humankind stood on its own against the Decepticons, and a deal, however humiliating or hard was probably the best the could expect.

"Continue with my berthroom" – the deep voice that always hid some growling in its background, even when Megatron was happy or satisfied ordered him – "I'm sure you can make yourself useful. If not, I will decide the activities."

If that wasn't a threat, then Optimus never heard one before.


	4. Death

**Warning**: violence, major character death. rating changed to M.

* * *

**Chapter 4. - Death**

* * *

**Codes**

The slaves learned soon the ropes of their predicament. The work was not easy and the joors that they had to do were long – but after they finished for an orn, not even the guards disturbed them in the barracks. Those simple dwellings soon became their homes; albeit they owned next to nothing, eventually some small trinkets found their ways there. A thermal blanket here, a datapad with stories that went round by every mech to be read one by one, a game pod, modeled after what humans used, only more sophisticated, various small tools to do maintenance on each other. They got enough energon to comfortably go by even with the hard work and they got the minimal amenities in the wash racks adjoining to one of the barracks.

No more though and that caused some of the more vain mechs, like Tracks and Sunstreaker worse pain than any physical punishments; no waxes, polishes or paints were allowed and even Swindle didn't deal with those substances, mainly because they had nothing to exchange for them. All the useful or repairable materials that they found during the clean-up work were taken away and energon surprisingly wasn't a tradeable material any more; the Decepticons somehow must have found a source of it. News, they had very little as Megatron planned to keep them in ignorance about the events that went on outside their barracks and so they had no idea about Earth's predicament either.

The cautious, heavily controlled interaction between the slaves and their masters and guards was kept to the absolute minimum. Megatron and mainly Starscream both knew that no matter whom they used for guards and overseers, eventually their natures would lead to the abuse of their former enemies; there was simply too many bad experiences from both sides to coexist – even with the slave codes corralling the Autobots' anger and the sly little codes that Starscream slipped into the Decepticons to curb their aggression. It was necessary to have those latter too and not only to protect the slaves, but to be able to live more or less peacefully.

Decepticons were simply not made or trained to live in peacetime and work cooperatively outside their groups. Education was only a long-term solution, but before it worked, well, Starscream's codes didn't change them, only toned down the aggression and sadism by a few notches. It provided both sides with a subdued attitude that made a basis for getting to know each other and in time maybe able to coexist without any of the behavioral coding and able to build a hopefully better society together. Or separately, but in peace. That was the Seeker's long term vision and since it went parallel to Megatron's own plans for a while, he accepted it.

* * *

**Bond**

It took Ironhide a groon before he couldn't hide the growing pain in the spark any more. The slave code suppressed the bonds too, as the twins noticed straight away, and not feeling Optimus took its toll even on his strong constitution and determination. The rest of the bondmates at least had each other physically, even if they couldn't feel their bond, but he hasn't seen or heard of Optimus's fate since their capture. None of the guards has ever answered to that question, no matter who or how asked it or what was offered for the knowledge. He only knew that their former leader must be alive, but nothing more; not even pain or other emotions came through the suppressed bond.

When he fell during work shift and couldn't stand from the pain in his spark, he was taken to the same lab they got the collars; it was Shockwave's as he learned and the cyclops ruthlessly opened his spark-chamber to scan his spark, after Hook notified him that nothing else was damaged or faulty. He discovered the bond immediately and ordered Ironhide to tell everything about it. He fought with the order to the utmost of his determination, not wanting to tell anything to these filthy Decepticons about their relationship… but the slave code won. Words spilled and tore from his vocalizer even as he fought to contain them, until it fritzed and blessedly fell silent. Shame and fury burned in his processor to the level that it was starting to overcome even the coding.

But Shockwave learned enough from the jumbled, forced words that the slave was compelled to say. That Ironhide was bonded to the former Prime was not all that surprising, considering their closeness; albeit they were not aware of the fact itself which must have happened not long before they left Earth for Cybertron. Still, Megatron wouldn't want this bond to continue; Shockwave was not fully privy of his lord's plans with Optimus, but he knew enough to decide to deal with this unexpected bond away on his own. Since it was suppressed, Optimus on the other side shouldn't feel much when it was dissolved. Shockwave was not a mech who had much knowledge on mate-bonds as he only ever studied gestalt bonds that were far different from spark bonds since they come from programming, rather than from the sparks merging. Under the circumstances, it was almost understandable since Decepticons as a rule did not form such bonds.

He took and prepared the device that Starscream developed, albeit under duress and with his objection – the Seeker was in his opinion far too sentimental when it came to bonds and argued that even the slaves should be able to keep theirs. The suppression was a compromise that he agreed to and they kept the device in case a bond became dangerous and had to be dissolved. The slave must have guessed what was to come, because he was visibly straining against the codes that kept him restrained. Shockwave turned the device on and touched its business end to the exposed spark-chamber.

The rising scream of pain as the device did its work should have been a warning to him, as it meant that the bond was not going to be dissolved painlessly and the will of Ironhide started to overwrite the slave codes by sheer force and determination. But Shockwave didn't think it possible and so he continued calmly, unperturbed by the yells and swears until the simple feedback light on the device turned from green to purple, signalling that it finished its duty. The scream rose in pitch until it cut out; likely Ironhide fell offline from the pain.

But he didn't. His vocalizer burnt out, but his will hasn't. It overpowered the coding in a split nanoklik and the balled fist hit Shockwave's single optic, shattering it, while the other grabbed his neck in an iron grip choking his lines and breaking the relays there. Pain and fury gave Ironhide the strength he needed on top of his own to tear the Cyclops's chest plate apart and shatter the spark-chamber with a single, desperate strike before he fell off the table, on his knees to claw at his own twinging spark. It didn't help… nothing could reverse the dissolving of the bond and the guards who run into the lab shot him to no effect. No pain could be greater than a broken bond. He fell on them like a crazed beast and fought, beating down one, then another with his empty servos, before the rest of them realized that only by deactivating could they stop him.

They shot to kill with full power from the blasters after that and didn't stop until his frame or limbs moved. The lab looked like a disaster zone, furniture and equipment broken, burnt or melted, delicate experiments spoiled and destroyed, the walls streaked with laser-marks… and the greying parts of two mechs, one Decepticon and one Autobot were everywhere. It was a veritable disaster and it cost them not only a slave but Shockwave too. After much later, when he reviewed the security tapes, Megatron agreed with Starscream's assessment to never touch the slaves' bonds again – if it was enough to overcome the slave codes once, it could do the same any time again.

But Megatron was secretly very satisfied to realize that the bond was dissolved between the former weapons officer and _his_ Optimus.

* * *

**Broken bond**

Optimus fell into a routine after a while. Megatron apparently didn't intend to abuse him, which came as a surprise, but it hardly made the humiliation of being made to a servant any more bearable. The worse thing was that his slave codes let him say no and rebel from time to time – allowing Megatron the satisfaction of putting him into his place. So he didn't rebel, not because of fear from beating, but to avoid giving the slagger his satisfaction of breaking him. Because he could. With Optimus reverted to his smaller stature and lesser armour that he used to have before the Matrix, Megatron was capable of handling him with ease. It was ultimately less humiliating to obey his orders than for example to hang helplessly from his hand upside down like a toy during the Cons' command meeting… and see his lieutenants smirk and taunt him that way.

Megatron was creative, he had to give him that. Creative in a way of making up punishments that humiliated him far more than mere physical beatings. The fragger didn't even force him to interface, which was his greatest worry at the first orns although he was sure that eventually it would come about – the looks he gave him were a sure sign. But so far he behaved like a kind but strict master to a slightly disobedient but useful slave. He didn't really had a lot of work to do; after all one could clean and tidy a mech's chambers only so many times before it became ridiculous. Bringing him energon and datapads were the tyrant's main source of humiliating actions, along with the wash racks, where he was forced to clean, wax and polish the silver chassis as often as he saw fit. Slagger didn't even hide how much he enjoyed that part.

He tried not to think too much of Ironhide after he became certain that escape was truly impossible with the slave codes; and he never had the knowledge to safely rewrite his own coding, like spec ops agents could. He could only hope that some of the others would be able to do that and maybe escape… but since he could read the reports about the slaves too, he knew that nothing like that has happened so far. He was actually surprised that Megatron kept his word and the Autobots suffered no more than slavery itself as they were put to work, but not abused in any way. It was a small consolation for him that he decided well when he surrendered.

The bond was suppressed by the coding, but occasionally some tiny flashes came through the haze that smothered it. Optimus hoped that Ironhide got some similar flashes from him, because he knew that Megatron kept his Autobots in the dark about his fate. It must have been incredibly painful for Ironhide to cope with that lack of information beside the closed bond. But one orn he felt something far more than a flash of pain – it threatened to overwhelm his consciousness and he knew that it was coming from his bondmate. Falling on his knees he dropped the cube of high grade that Megatron ordered him to bring and a choked scream tore from his vocalizer.

"What in the Pit?" – Megatron knew that it wasn't an act – Optimus would never be able to play falsely. It was real pain, but from what? – "What's wrong with you?"

Optimus was writhing on the floor, clawing at his chest plates and that gave Megatron his first clue as to what was happening. Bellowing for Starscream in the comm, he stopped the smaller mech from damaging himself – if it was something with his spark, then he could do nothing until the Seeker came. But another comm preceded his Air Commander, from Shockwave's lab, from a stuttering, clearly terrified and out of his wits guard captain.

"M-my Lord, w-we had a disturbance h-here in the labs and… We came late, because Lieutenant S-shockwave didn't c-call for assistance and we couldn't…"

"Just tell what happened and don't babble, you incompetent fool!"

"Sir, I mean My Lord, Lieutenant S-shockwave was deactivated by a s-slave, called Ironhide…"

"WHAT?"

Starscream entered to his chambers exactly this klik and twitched nervously at the enraged bellow, wings folding backward defensively. He had no idea what happened but Megatron wasn't this angry since the war ended and it didn't bode well to anyone around him. Despite of what he had expected from him, the tyrant rarely took out his frustration on his slave – but to tell the truth, he wasn't frustrated many times, since there was simply no reason for it. Things have gone much better than they expected and the building of the Decepticon Empire was well on its way without hiccups. It caused Megatron to have less of his overcharged rampages that used to damage the Seeker so many times; and it caused himself to be calmer, less ambitious and treacherous, giving no reason for the tyrant to rage and want to beat up somemech.

But now, it was surely going to be one such occasion – and considering that Optimus was writhing on the floor in pain already for some reason, he probably wasn't going to be on the receiving end of it. Too bad that he still didn't have the slightest idea of what was going on. A frantic comm to his Trine-mates and Soundwave yielded no result and he didn't really want to ask Megatron directly. Not until he had to, so Starscream hesitantly squatted down beside Optimus, to check what his problem was. He was clutching his chest-plates and… Starscream put one and one together and cursed that unknown fool that tampered with his bond. Megatron has just finished yelling at the hapless guard captain and he growled at the Seeker angrily.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Someone must have tampered with his bond… to Ironhide. May I ask what…"

"That slagging slave deactivated Shockwave somehow! You said the slave codes would not let anything like that happening!"

Dammit, the fragger was going to blame him for this… that Pit-accursed, glitching idiot Shockwave must have tried to dissolve the bond between them and that might count for overwhelming the slave codes too…

"Lord Megatron, I warned him that spark bonds can be stronger than coding!"

"I will deal with you later. Now attend to him." – he ordered, pointing to the still whimpering Optimus and leaving the room, while Starscream fumed silently. Not only he was going to be punished for that slagger's idiocy, but he had to play medic for a slave now.

* * *

**Old habits**

When Megatron returned to his chambers, Starscream was already gone, Optimus lay sedated on his berth and he was raging. Losing Shockwave, who has always been his most loyal officer was outrageous and he didn't even have the culprit to punish as the guards deactivated Ironhide when they saw that he couldn't be subdued in any other way. To throw his grey chassis to the slaves wasn't nearly as satisfying as executing him slowly would have been. He was angered, frustrated and he needed an outlet. Slagging Starscream knew when he had to make himself scarce. Megatron checked on Optimus, who was so far alive and felt a tiny bit of compassion towards the mech, slave as he was. To survive a broken bond was the most painful experience any Transformers could feel.

What was Shockwave thinking anyway? Starscream was right in one thing – he did warn them of this. He hated that Optimus had that slagging bond but suppressed as it was it wasn't even noticeable. In time he, or rather the Seeker would have found the way to dissolve it painlessly when Optimus forgot that stupid oaf. Now, he won't forget it ever, not with a jagged wound on his spark forever. He drank a cube of high grade to calm down but it didn't work. Not having an outlet for his frustration was galling – before he could always take it out on the Seeker or on an occasional Autobot prisoner.

It was half expected of the Seeker to be his punching bag, since he apparently could take it and make the tyrant's bad mood go away in the process. But since Starscream changed to be obedient and resourceful, Megatron simply didn't have the spark to punish the Air Commander – who in exchange delivered serious results. The original plot of baiting the Autobots into that trap was his, even though he didn't dare to lay claim to the whole idea and was satisfied by Megatron publicly acknowledging him as helping in it. He did the whole thing from the first, faked message, till the various codes for the Autobots as well as the Decepticons. Also, between the two of them Megatron knew that since the surrender it was mainly Starscream who did the actual orn-to-orn running of the Empire – besides acing in the lab too with inventing the converters that made usable energon from space radiation.

By the third cube Megatron was almost praising the Seeker, fortunately just in private, before he realized where that would put the recalcitrant mech. Give Starscream an inch and he would take a megamile that was the rule as far as the Decepticons were concerned. And the Air Commander did take far more than an inch, and with his suave and smarmy behaviour he even made Megatron to almost overlook it. Almost, he reminded himself at the fifth cube, but not quite. For Megatron never lost his healthy dose of suspicion towards the treacherous Seeker and now that he saw the whole picture, he would rectify his mistake.

"_Starscream_!" – he bellowed into the comm with a sudden fury, throwing back the seventh cube of potent high-grade, well into the also-familiar rage. – "_I didn't dismiss you, you sly little traitor! To my quarters at once!_"

When Optimus came online a joor later he felt like slag; his spark ached terribly, his head hurt and he heard noises that sounded like Grimlock and Megatron were fighting a life-death match just a few steps away from his helm. As he probed the jagged end of the broken bond that he could feel in his spark, it told him the terrible truth: Ironhide must have been deactivated. It was not just the suppressed or dissolved bond, but a frightful finality and aloneness that told him the terrible truth. His head hurt because the slave coding was playing havoc with his thoughts; and the noises, he realized were real and coming from somewhere nearby.

Hobbling brokenly to the doorway he saw a nearly horroristic scene in the main room. Only for a second he thought the victim of the violence to be Ironhide, because even covered with his own energon Starscream's bright colours were distinctly different from his. Why was Megatron beating up the Seeker, he wondered, and couldn't help but to feel a little satisfaction; Starscream had a lion's share in what happened to the Autobots and Optimus for a few wonderful kliks felt nothing but the simple joy of revenge. If not by his servo, then by another's – it didn't matter. His conscience did kick in after those marvelous few kliks and told him sternly that it was unbecoming for him to feel revenge when the Seeker as far as he knew did nothing to deserve the serious-looking punishment.

The Seeker looked barely alive, covered with dents, scratches and torn plating; he was missing his wings with only the sparking stubs on his back that leaked energon in a frightfully fast rate and his cockpit was broken, the jagged shards all over the floor that was splattered with the energon from his tubes. Megatron still held him by the dented neck and the Seeker still tried to claw his arm with his one working servo – the other hung limp by his side, the shoulder joint clearly mangled beyond the possibility of voluntary movement. Only one of his optics worked, the other was broken and dark. He swept the still red optic over the room and found the bent and hurting Optimus by the door with it.

Optimus couldn't decipher the look in the broken and beaten Seeker's optic. Something intangible passed between them, something that transcended their station and function as it was then. It wasn't compassion or even understanding, he was sure as Megatron threw the limp figure to the wall, where he lay in a broken heap and commed to his trine-mates. What exactly it was he thought about for a good many more orns after that time. The best he could come up with was a kind of a brotherhood; not the kind that presupposes family, but the one that comes with shared experiences and pain. He didn't move to help Starscream – partly he still hurt much and partly he was sure that the heavily overcharged, barely sane Megatron would beat him up just as he did with the Seeker. At the en it was Skywarp who warped in with a serious, hurt and disappointed expression, lifted his Trine-leader and without a word teleported out.

With Megatron falling back into the old pattern the Seeker did too. It has always been a very tenuous balance between them that worked only so far as neither of them broke anything in it. The beating that Starscream was sure that he didn't deserve broke this balance as far as he was concerned. Only this time he had his fellow Seekers' and many other mechs' sympathies on his side, who saw the work he did and the loyalty that he proved lately towards Megatron. While he lay in the med-bay, under Hook's care, many mechs looked at each other questioningly. It wasn't war any more when the Autobots' threat was over their helms all the time and could explain the most unfair and outrageous acts. It was peace now and the Seeker basically did the actual running of the Empire while Megatron sat in his chambers and drank high-grade, Soundwave cared only for his cassettes and Shockwave for his experiments.

Optimus didn't feel it his duty to care for the Seeker, whose battered frame after that time became again a fairly regular scene in Megatron's quarters. He saw the reports, he heard whatever Megatron talked with his officers and he too knew how Starscream kept the Decepticon Empire working. Correct tense: past. He did. Not anymore though, as he believed their unspoken truce with the warlord off and with it the quest for power that he gave up willingly for Megatron's respect was on again. Optimus saw him beaten again and again, sometimes along with himself, but most often alone; the Seeker's thoughts back then proved to be prophetic.

Then there came the time when the Seeker lay offline on the floor, Optimus kneeling beside, but unable to do anything for him and Megatron kicking them apart in a drunken rage. He didn't try to help Starscream, he didn't try to defend him – he was just there, because he could not go elsewhere. Only this time he felt the Seeker's energon drain out quicker than usual, his strength ebbing away with every sparkbeat. Megatron stood towering over them, pouting like a sparkling whose toy was broken and he couldn't play any more, before stomping away, to drink some more. Optimus couldn't even call Hook to help without his comm, could only watch Starscream grew weaker by the klik.

"Optms…" – he rattled with his last ergs – "Gve dis t' m' trin…" – a small crest was pushed into Optimus's servo and he started to feel foreboding. Why would Starscream give this – whatever this is to an Autobot slave whom he despised, to pass on to his trine-mates if not for feeling that he wouldn't survive until seeing them?

The Seeker grew silent and unmoving, although Optimus could still feel the sparkpulse. He wasn't online any more though, the one still working optic too turned dark, the energon that was flowing from his injuries slowed to a barely there drip as it was running out. He was going to be deactivated any klik now, quite beyond saving even if Hook miraculously appeared there, it was that late. But it wasn't even the Decepticon medic who turned up in the room, but a violet flash, heralding Skywarp.

The black Seeker looked like a madmech and screeched in a register very much like his Trine-leader – apparently their trine-bond told him abut Starscream's condition and he warped in there with Thundercracker in tow, not caring about Megatron or his ire. They were just in time to see Starscream lift his dark helm one more time and his optic flickering on for a last klik. His vocalizer only spewed some static though as Skywarp lifted his broken body up into his lap, their blue trine-mate hugging them both close. They were both openly crying as they tried to feel the last mental touch from their bondmate and lover.

The red optic flickered off again, the vents wheezing their last breath to the body that needed no cooling any more. _I've wanted to die in a battle_, he thinks fleetingly as darkness encompasses his processor - _not like this…_ The energon dripping down on his chassis slowed to a trickle. The cables and wires lost their tension, the joints that were unharmed fell to a relaxed-looking posture. The spark flickered too before slowing down its spin and it guttered out.

The legendary Seeker who dared so much and did so much wasn't any more.

Skywarp lifted a helm in which the optics burnt with a deadly intent amidst the tears. Another pair joined it from Starscream's other side. Optimus didn't move – but he thought that in Megatron's place he'd be afraid. Very, very afraid.

* * *

**Note**: I'm really sorry for this, but it's not the end, and not wanting to reveal the plot but even those who don't like Starscream dead should read on. It is real death though.


	5. 2 in 1

**Warning**: violence, torture, a touch of supernatural

* * *

**Chapter 5. – 2 in 1**

* * *

**Aftermath**

The two Seekers had quite ignored the Autobot slave kneeling beside their fallen Trine-leader. He wasn't the cause of the injuries, the deactivation and only tried to comfort the badly mangled flier in his last breems. When they rose with flaming optics to go after the culprit, whom they both knew to be Megatron, Optimus quite forgotten to give them the small thing that Starscream entrusted to him. Not that they got their revenge; at the first sight of a Seeker wing Megatron called them traitors and ordered the guards and all faithful Decepticons to attack them. The Seekers, led by the vengeful and mourning pair choose to retreat against the overwhelming odds; they fled and the somewhat hesitant Decepticons did not give chase to them. No Decepticon saw the Seekers on Cybertron again for a good many vorns, although many thought of them even after much time.

Megatron for his part simply called Starscream - and consequently all Seekers - traitorous cowards and believed that it was enough. For some millions of vorns it really was, while that statement had some truth behind it – but that was not the case any more. More and more Decepticons started to doubt his loudly bellowed speeches, quietly at first, not to his faceplates, only when someone came up with the topic while drinking some high grade and talking. It wasn't that they felt sorry for Starscream or the injustice irked their more or less nonexistent consciences. No, they were after all Decepticons and Starscream has never been very popular, the Seekers were all prone to look down on grounders, so they were not missed from any sense of loyalty or compassion.

But even the dumbest mechs noticed that while Starscream managed the Empire it went swiftly with every mech knowing what to do and every resource shipment in time for the work it was needed for, every patrol schedule worked out… and so on. Now everything either happened in time and correctly – or it didn't. Things became haphazard and unreliable and with it production tumbled. Soundwave was meticulous but not very interested in orn to orn management. He was communications and intelligence specialist, neither function in much demand in peacetime. Megatron felt it was beneath his notice to do such work and although he continued to plan grandiose campaigns and huge constructions, none of those were ever actually executed, because there was no mech to plan the necessary details and organize the actual work needed for them.

The work that was started and for some time went well, steadily declined. Hardly even Kaon was cleaned of the war-rubble and ruins and parts of it rebuilt. Even those were half empty, as the remaining Decepticons were far fewer than what it would have taken to fill a town of Kaon's size. Cybertronians built things to last, therefore even the empty, pristine buildings stayed that way for vorns; but the empty, ghost-town character of it was felt keenly. Soon many of the mechs would swear that in the empty quarters, ghosts moved around – and although Soundwave was sure that they could only be spies, he or the others never managed to catch any of them.

The grandiose buildings in the city center were the only ones that saw any movement, but even there, the central plaza with its huge edifices surrounding it looked queerly empty when the remaining Decepticons met there to listen to one of Megatron's speeches. The huge plaza simply dwarfed the remaining few mechs milling around on it… and since the Seekers were gone, the skies too were as deadly quiet as the mute and empty buildings underneath. Together with the fading quality of the tyrant's speeches – after all what could he inspire them for when they already won? – the sheer queerness of the mostly-empty plaza made for less than enthusiastic meetings that weren't truly helped by the free-flowing high-grade either. It only made the ghost stories feel more real.

No Neutrals dared to return to Cybertron, not even temporarily, to trade with the Decepticons. Megatron was ruthless with the Neutral towns and villages that stood on his way during the war and none of the survivors forgot that and dared to trust him once again. They have all built their homes and settlements on other planets or integrated with other races and while some of them wanted to go back to their home planet if only to visit it once again, they simply didn't dare to. Despite of the assurances, no mech put it above Megatron to enslave whoever came to visit, just to have more workforce. Or sparklings. Only the Neutrals had sparklings, as Decepticons still didn't dare to form spark bonds which is necessary to create a newspark.

It wasn't for as long as a groon before Megatron noticed that the Matrix has disappeared from the safe Starscream put it in. Upon noticing it, he went on a rampage, destroying his quarters and taking out his anger on Optimus, beating the smaller mech up just as badly as he used to do with Starscream. Not that it helped any in finding out who took the artifact and how. The only good thing that came out of it was that it was the first time since their enslavement that any of the former Autobots saw Optimus; Sunstreaker was in the repair bay for a working injury that Ratchet couldn't fix without his tools when Optimus was brought in - and saw his condition.

He spread the word among the slaves and the formerly resigned, despondent mood that characterized them so far suddenly changed. Up until this time, they believed and saw that Megatron, unexpectedly though, but kept his word and hasn't abused the Autobot slaves. They were working on cleaning away the ruins and rebuilding Cybertron's cities, roads and various edifices and most of them had resigned to their lot in life, saying that it could have been far worse that this. Even Ironhide's fate was accepted as an unfortunate accident and if they blamed anyone then it was the already deactivated Shockwave who paid for the atrocity that he caused and not Megatron who apparently had nothing to do with it.

But after Sunstreaker returned to their barracks with the fire in his cerulean optics again, and told them the condition of their Prime as he saw it and the possible cause – then they started to feel the fury again. They too knew about the exodus of the Seekers that weakened the grandiosely named but inwardly slowly crumbling Decepticon Empire. They too perceived the disorganization that Starscream's absence caused in their work shifts and schedules, hard as it was to believe that one mech's absence caused so much to fail. Optimus's fate was the last bit to tip them over and realize that things were definitely not all right or acceptable even any more. But so far they were unable to do anything about it. The slave codes – controversially the legacy of the genius Seeker kept them in check.

But the scene was set.

* * *

**New World**

They escaped to save their lives, but arriving to this unnamed Moon that appeared to be suitable to support their little flock of Seekers - and the triplechangers who threw their lot in with them too - they set their goal to be a bit more ambitious. Above simple survival, they wanted two things; rebuild a true, uncorrupted Seeker society and whenever it was possible get revenge for Starscream. The latter notion was kept alive by Skywarp who decided never to forget what Megatron did – few mech can hate so deeply as the purely emotional, never thinking or considering Seeker out to avenge a deactivated trine-mate.

They both felt the broken bond in their sparks that could have drawn them with Starscream into oblivion. They were Trine-mates for millions of vorns and their bonds were strong, after the Trine came together again, after Starscream became more or less normal again and renewed the bonds that connected them. Only by being lovers for even longer than Trine saved them from that fate; a character of Starscream's scope could easily have caused lesser Seekers to follow him. That and the overwhelming need for revenge for their lost leader kept them alive.

Thundercracker kept all the fliers together. He hid his pain and his calm and seemingly unflappable nature was the glue that held together the always emotional, instinctive, arguing and often obnoxious fliers. At first they agreed on nothing, save the revenge for Starscream; they argued incessantly on where to settle, how to settle, settle at all or wander the universe, and they kept it up as the Moon was chosen for their settlement, as they set up the energon-producing radiation panels, that were the legacy of Starscream too, as they built homes for themselves… and they never really stopped, only went at it quieter and a tiny bit more restrained since Thundercracker put a foot down – fortified with a sonic boom that rattled their wings – and ordered them to cooperate or get lost like the idiot glitches that they were.

Skywarp helped to him whenever he could, but organizing and peacemaking has never been counted among his attributes, so he usually just let TC do the work and lightened the mood occasionally with a joke. Or, when it was needed, when he thought that they've forgotten, he darkened the mood with a few, well-chosen, scathing remarks about ungrateful slaggers. He retained his easygoing and pranking self, while acquiring a much darker, vengeful and never forgetting side to it. Of course it was him who stole the Matrix, just to annoy Megatron and rile him up; Starscream with his last strength sent the command to open the safe and Skywarp understood the intent.

The Matrix was so far totally useless to them, as it chose no mech at all and they knew better than force the issue. Since Megatron didn't use it either, he was slow to even notice that it was gone – groons were gone before their subtle spying reported him raging over the matter and by this time all the satisfaction went out of the thing, relegating it to a level of a mere prank. It said a lot about how deep the Transformer society sank to have their most precious artifact robbed, stolen, squabbled over and finally put away to be forgotten; its bearer enslaved and abused by his own former Lord Protector. The Matrix has never been part of the Seekers' core beliefs anyway – the Primes have always been grounders and as such the proud, vain fliers have never been comfortable with bending their necks to them.

But the revenge got postponed groon after groon. First survival was more important and Skywarp understood it all too well, accepted it even, albeit reluctantly. Then the realization hit home that Megatron's forces far outnumbered theirs and any open attack would be suicide against a well-established, properly defended and stronger foe. On the other servo, Seekers were not built to sneak and slip in without attracting attention and that made any covert operation impossible. Not to mention Soundwave, who was far better than them in that regard.

They also came to the realization that neither of them was strategically minded or a leader-material; Thundercracker was comfortable in the role of a civilian manager of their settlement, but that unfortunately didn't translate into any kind of a military genius. Skywarp himself had never deluded himself that he could plan anything more complex than a prank. The other Seekers all clamored to be good at this or that but when the blue Seeker lost his patience and demanded someone to come up with a strategy first so they could see what they were deciding on – none of them spoke up and matters remained as they were. Thundercracker himself though felt for a klik like someone was watching them coldly over his wing – he thought it to be Skywarp until he turned and saw there no one.

* * *

**Relationship**

Optimus thought that he could live for billions of vorns and still couldn't understand the relationship between Megatron and Starscream. Late Starscream by this time, not that it meant a lot as he found out. The warlord, despite of all advice to the opposite, ordered Hook to repair the dead Seeker's frame to perfection, like it would bring him back to function - and then kept it affixed onto the wall in his chambers, opposite to his desk so he could see it at all times. Optimus tried to avoid the grisly memento whenever he had to go that way, but he saw Megatron watching it, talking to it and even hitting and then repairing it, like he believed that the Seeker was still alive. Was it any other mech, he would have sworn that he missed the flier, his company, his advice, work and even his sharp glossa. He would have. Occasionally, he did imagine the Seeker really be there, watching them from whatever afterlife he went to.

But then, he knew that it was no other mech, but Megatron, and that he was the one who destroyed the Seeker brutally and inexorably. How could he miss the mech that he himself deactivated with his own servos? Optimus even after vorns of slavery, humiliation and beatings was a distinctly stable and sane individual – that was the main reason why the Matrix had chosen him, for it knew that few mechs were equally unlikely to be swayed by good fortune and utter misery and remain true to their ideals. For him the twisted and sick relationship between the tyrant and his late second was totally unimaginable and indecipherable even after seeing it from up close with his own optics.

But still, he saw it every orn. Megatron, ranting during the officers' meeting about the treachery of the Seeker, like he was still around and dangerous. Megatron, standing in front of the wall, touching the winged, grey frame gently with his claws, like it was his lover. Megatron, tearing off a grayed out, once brilliant blue servo and beating Optimus into the floor with it. Megatron, toasting the dead Seeker with high-grade and appraising him on his latest success. Megatron, demanding the empty chassis to be waxed and polished to its high sheen, like he saw its colours, instead of the gray of death. Optimus had the shuddering suspicion that he too felt the Seeker's incorporeal shape around more than a few times. At least the warlord had the excuse of the high grade, he faintly thought…

Well, no mech, no Decepticon even has ever said that their Lord was totally sane. Not since he started to foul up his Lord Protector's coding and going against his Prime. Not since he grew obsessed with winning the war and capturing Optimus personally. And certainly not since he deactivated his SIC and with that fact probably got rid of the last shreds of his sanity. He broke his toy and no other toy could take its place. Not even Optimus, who also had a special place in those twisted processors. He wanted _his_Seeker back.

Whatever the costs.

* * *

**Void**

With Starscream and Shockwave gone and Megatron turning less sane by the groon and never much bothering to do the small work himself, the actual running of the Empire fell solely on Soundwave, the only remaining officer. The only problem was that the telepath had neither the inclination nor the talent for the job and consequently delegated it more and more to his underlings; to mechs like Frenzy, Onslaught and Motormaster who all wanted power but – for various reasons and personal attributes – were just as unable to do it properly as himself. Frenzy only enjoyed the power and made a game out of things, unable and unwilling to set apart serious and lighter tasks and problems. With him in charge pranks dotted the ranks and disrupted the work of the slaves and if he had any authority to begin with he lost it soon, retaining only as much as Soundwave was willing to protect his symbiont.

Motormaster could keep the order when he decided to apply himself to the task; the problem with him was that he did it with excessive force, as he abused and damaged far more slaves in the process than their silent obedience called for. He was a sadist and Starscream's sly little behavioral code only eased it off a bit but couldn't get him rid of the whole of his brutality. Only instead of his gestalt-mates he abused the slaves – and that was unacceptable, and not only because of Megatron's orders, because the tyrant probably didn't really care about the slaves any more. But every time the truckformer was left in charge, the production of the slaves fell to abysmal levels while their repairs rose along with the Autobot medic's ranting and cursing.

Onslaught was the only one who could be trusted to do an acceptable work. He has always been underused and relegated to a simple gestalt-leader, while actually he was a capable leader on his own right and a more than passable tactician. Too bad that he could never wash away the taint of being untrustworthy in Megatron's optics and on that not even Starscream's lately attained role, much less his deactivation could help. Whenever the tyrant saw in the reports that it was the Combaticon leader doing the executive work, Soundwave had to face his disapproval that, depending on the tyrant's mood ranged from a scowl and some reprimand to outright rage and violence.

Soundwave at the end always scowled under his mask to himself and started to do the hated work, wishing futilely the Seeker to come back from death, like some mechs occasionally rumored or wished so. Unfortunately those were all just rumors, and he could be certain of this every time he saw the Seeker's empty, grey shell in the warlord's chambers. Although his spies who followed the Seekers to their new settlement, did occasionally told him about similar rumours going around from time to time among them too. But they couldn't be true.

Optimus wasn't afraid to admit that he mostly missed Starscream, because since he was deactivated, the role of a punching bag fell either on Soundwave, but mostly on him. Not that he had anyone to admit anything really; the Decepticons never spoke to him, either from derision or from fear of what Megatron would think of it and he hasn't met an Autobot since the surrender several vorns before. Since the Seeker's deactivation things went from bad to worse and Optimus sometimes wished for those times when he was just ridiculed or humiliated – and not beaten to scrap. It was a lonely existence, made so even more by the broken bond that throbbed in his spark, probably forever.

The Seeker might have considered the beatings as an unavoidable part of his complex and more than a bit sick relationship with Megatron, but for him it was just pointless violence ending in inevitable pain, repairs and starting all over. The tyrant was a professional after eons of dealing out punishments to cause the most pain with the least damage – he only ever diverged from this with Starscream, when he was particularly angry at the mech. Hence his death, when, for the first time in a million vorns, Megatron went too far and threw caution to the winds – with the expectable results…

And he knew it. Megatron instinctly knew that the absence of his former SIC crippled his Empire and led him down on the road towards insanity. When he was saner than usual and off of high-grade he realized it – only he didn't go about it as others would have done. He didn't want to let the Seeker's shadow go and apply himself to the necessary tasks. He kept the chassis around and he kept the ghost around, the chip on his shoulder, the irksome conscience, the bothersome mental voice that he occasionally heard screeching into his audials. But at the same time he missed the winged menace terribly, even though he dared to tell that to no mech.

* * *

**Bad idea**

"With all due respect Lord Megatron, this is really not a very good idea." – from Soundwave that was about as close to shout 'NO, you idiot!' as he was ever going to get. Especially since Megatron teetered on the brink of total insanity, or as some whispered has already fallen over that particular edge and consequently he was far less lenient with Soundwave as well.

"Did I ask your opinion Soundwave?" – Megatron already looked angry, so Soundwave refrained from pointing out that yes indeed, he did ask for it and opted to express his objection in other ways, as effectively as he could, even foregoing his vocal filter in the process.

"I'm sorry My Lord, for imposing, I only meant that going through with this idea, it would cause a lot of problems that would be difficult, if not impossible to solve."

"And you want to tell me that can't solve a few, insignificant problems?"

"No, Lord Megatron. But I need… guidance in that if we are to do it."

"You will get plenty of guidance then. Just make sure it is possible."

"The actual process is difficult medically and we don't have such programmers now who could recreate the required coding."

"I could handle Starscream any orn. It is no problem."

"But it won't really be Starscream."

"It will be close enough. The processor doesn't decay, does it?"

"Marginally it does over time. It can't be said before it's finished what would be the result."

"I want it to be done, so stop finding excuses and start preparing!"

With Megatron heading down again on his stubborn and deaf path there was no way to dissuade him any more. Soundwave gave it up as a lost cause and tried to think what catastrophe they were starting to drift towards with this course of action and how it could be lessened. Hook might be able to do the work with some preparation and that shuttle, Skyfire could go over Starscream's codes to see if they deteriorated or not. Maybe if they were fortunate and the operation would go badly, terminating in a disaster. Hopefully. The sarcastic laughter that he suddenly heard must have been his imagination.

"As you wish My Lord…"

"I can't do it." – Hook was fairly honest in this and not just because he was absolutely against the idea on general terms. He was an engineer and not a medic and such an operation was among the trickiest, most dangerous ones that Transformers invented and practiced. Or, he thought, used to practice, as there wasn't such a transplant since the war and not many even before that. It was far easier to just tweak, modify and change a mech's armour and it usually satisfied all but the most picky customers. Dealing with protoforms, processors and sparks? No thanks, it was not his expertise. – "It is a complex, dangerous and rarely employed operation for which I've never been trained."

"You can learn it." – Megatron knew better than order the CMO outright. For all his power there were still some areas that he couldn't force and medical matter were such. Simply pushing the mech should get the result anyway.

"I can…? Where? From Ratchet, who is the only one who's ever done it and would immediately know what we intend? Not even obedience coding could make him reveal it then. And even if he did – I'd have to practice the technique, and where? How? We don't exactly have a Medical Academy any more!"

Megatron looked stormier by the klik as Hook listed his objections. He knew that they would be against the idea, but the CMO seemed sincere in his real shortcomings in regards of the operation. He didn't know that it would be this difficult. For him it seemed to be a straightforward matter that any medic could do.

"Fine! Start studying it and notify me when you are ready! However long it takes!"

Hook did as he was ordered and studied the matter. He just didn't intend to make that announcement that he was ready any time soon – preferably not before the tyrant changed his mind, or Soundwave convinced him of the impossibility of the idea… or a miracle happened. He just plain didn't want to do it. Nonetheless, he prepared as much as he could and ordered the shuttle to do his part too; if Megatron insisted to go through with it, he'd be as ready as he could be.

Starscream's frame was prepped and repaired to perfection. The Autobot shuttle said that his processor hardly had any bad sectors in it and the base coding was dormant but looked good. Obviously its actual working would only be visible if they succeeded. When he first saw the grayed out frame, Skyfire felt a stab in his spark. They've been set apart by eons, by the war, by their choices and supposedly had nothing in common any more – but still, in his processor, he saw a much younger, more naïve and friendlier Seeker. He wanted to remember that Starscream, not the one he became throughout the war. He didn't know why he had to check a deactivated mech's processor; it felt like sacrilege to delve into the dead code and frozen memories. But he had to do it, he had to obey, no matter that his spark felt like the ice he had been entombed in, after doing it.

It was in the middle of a night cycle groons later when Hook was woken up by Megatron shouting for him in the comm to get his sorry aft to the med-bay at once. He was increasingly abusive with Optimus, and Hook, who had to repair the mech a few times even felt a tiny bit of remorse for the former Prime. It was him this time again, the CMO saw as he entered his repair bay; his brutally mangled body lay on the central table, leaking energon all over the place. It was a stark contrast with the gleaming perfection of the dead Seeker's frame next to it; one alive but almost torn to pieces and painted mostly to vivid pink with his own energon and one deactivated but repaired and buffed to a glossy finish in its dead grayness.

"Do it now." – Megatron was frightening in the high-grade induced intensity with which he loomed over the suddenly anxious Hook. – "You are ready, I know. Do it now."

One did not argue with him in such a state. Not if he wanted to see the next orn.

"Y-yes, My Lord…" – the game was up and he had to deliver now. Waking up his gestalt, he hooked up Optimus to an energon drip, so they wouldn't lose him too fast. He looked over the two frames and shuddered as he heard a cold laugh in his audials. Turning fast he was frightened by the fact that nobody stood behind him… nobody who could imitate the dead Seeker's distinctly identifiable laughter… Hook didn't believe in ghost stories. But truly, he was either going mad or there were ghosts, or at least one; and he was fairly sure that it wasn't the first option. That damned Seeker would be just stubborn enough not to want to go to the Pit but stick around and what that signified now, he didn't dare to contemplate.

The operation wasn't easy just as he expected and had its risky kliks when he thought that he'd lose the mech. But at the end, he managed to pull him through and by the time he cleared the table of the last splotches of energon around the winged frame, it has already started to take the colours, just as the other, mangled frame lost his. He watched it avidly, because it was a strong indication of exactly who would be in the chassis he just filled up with a mech – but as it happened, he was forced to remember just how similar the two mechs' colorings were while alive. The only real difference, he thought would be the faceplates; if they turned out to be dark, charcoal grey then he'd have to start worrying. He left out a long sigh when they turned light blue… but then he heard the mocking laugh echoing again where no sound should have been...

* * *

**Reborn**

All Optimus remembered when he awakened was the pain and it wasn't even unusual lately. Since the Seeker's death Megatron didn't even try to act like the beatings were punishments for something he did wrong or for breaking a disobedient slave. They were, quite simply his way of letting out his frustration and rage on the nearest mech he had, the one who couldn't avoid him or defend himself – Optimus. He sighed inwardly, feeling the usual aches and stiffness of the new welds, the throbbing pain in his processor, the wound in his spark, the phantom pains in his chassis, his legs, his…

… wings?

He woke all the way up at that. What in the Pit they did to him this time? He tried to move but the restraints held his limbs on the table. Turning his helm he saw red shoulder vents that felt just as inconveniently placed as they looked from the outside. Beyond it, the tip of a white wing poked into the air, twitching slightly just as he thought of it, the movement seemingly belonging to someone else, while he felt it just as he would feel an extra arm. Trying to flex this superfluous arm – it was easier to think of it this way – the wing jerked and clanged on the table. Wrong move. The pain that shot up to his processor convinced him fully that the appendage belonged to him. He almost heard a silent admonition from somewhere: _careful with my wings, slagger_…

He ran a quick checklist inwardly and groaned when it brought up items on his HUD that he never saw and never thought he'd see either… flight systems, a great number of them, all reporting in perfect condition, only offlined, shut down by extra, clumsy but forceful codes that clamped down on him just like the slave coding, only far cruder and primitive. It was interesting how he almost sneered at the codes, although he had never been anything good in the field. Extra sensors all over the wings that reported so much information that he had to shut them down himself not to be swamped by them, not wanting to know just yet the exact molecular composition of the air that swirled around his wingtips with just such a speed and direction…

A helmed face leaned over him and asked how he felt. For a few kliks he wondered about the strange, double quality of the mech before he realized that his processor identified him through two different sets of memories; one his, one from the Seeker. _Starscream_, he thought, _I am somehow in Starscream's frame now_. He should have been afraid or worried at this point, but his practical nature – and the remains of the sedative - intervened soon; _what did it change really?_ He was still Optimus no-longer-Prime, formerly the Autobot leader, presently a slave of the Decepticons, servant of Megatron, yadda, yadda. The codes swirling around told him so. He was NOT Starscream on any level. Except the physical.

The nanoklik he felt the extra memory banks allow him full entry and the ID on them told him to be Starscream's he shut the connection down ruthlessly and wowed never to enter there again. It was too much, too disturbing, too… too obscene to go and look at a dead mech's memories just like that. They shouldn't have done this. He couldn't shut down the extra processors though; they were far too interconnected with Starscream's body… his body now. Fortunately they were more impersonal, albeit working strangely different from his own, well-known processing faculties. Still he felt uneasy shudders run through at his – his? - frame as he probed the parts one by one, seeing, feeling, searching the differences.

He remembered a question being asked though… oh yeah. - "I…" – what should he say? – "I'm functional."

"What's your designation?"

"Optimus… but were I Starscream, I'd say this too, just to mislead you." – now, that was definitely not his style, Optimus mused; it came out far too confrontational. Not to mention the voice which was definitely not his deep rumble – a small shock in itself, even as the scratchy, husky voice sounded better from the inside than it ever did while listening to it. Nevertheless, he smirked slightly at Hook's bemused, suddenly apprehensive faceplates. He felt like fully himself in fact, since he locked down the Seeker's memory banks – with only a few faint tendrils of thought processes that felt different, strange. – "Was it my_ dear_ _Master_'s idea to do this all along, or this was the only frame lying around when he trashed mine?"

"You know the answer to that as well as I."

"Just as I thought then… how does he want to sell this to the others?" – Optimus signaled the restraints and the collar, but he meant the obviously slave status of what superficially appeared to be the Decepticon SIC and Air Commander.

Hook looked very much like torn between wanting to shout at the slave to shut up and fearing his commanding officer's ire if he did. He chose remaining silent finally, optics dimmed like coming someone – probably Megatron, to dump that very problem on the warlord's lap. He wanted this. Let him deal with it. The less he saw of the Seeker's frame the less the shivers kept running up and down his back struts.


	6. Impossible

**Warning**: violence, torture, supernatural

* * *

**Chapter 6. Impossible**

* * *

** A dilemma**

Megatron was uncharacteristically frazzled when he arrived into the repair bay and his processor ache reached cosmic proportions. He had been sure that he wanted it, but now, that he had to face the mech… he growled to himself and deleted all previous worries. Inside, it would be still Optimus, the meek, little ex-Prime, and he could handle the mech, he was nothing compared to the Seeker in processor. No matter the frame he was in. His claws twitched at the thought of feeling the warm metal of the wings underneath, to caress or to maul as he saw fit, to see them shudder with pleasure or have energon flowing in painful tears… he missed Starscream's wings, the sounds that his hoarse, scratchy vocalizer could make, the delicious curve of the cockpit that was as sensitive to caress as it was to break.

He lay on the berth, stasis cuffs restraining those delectable, slender limbs, turning his dark blue helm towards the opening door, hateful optics peering over the red vents… it was a small disappointment to see the blue of his faceplates as he expected to see charcoal grey, but it strangely suited him. The scowl was also familiar, but he stayed silent, unlike the Seeker would and Megatron started to think that it would all turn out good after all. Hook stepped beside him and quietly advised him not to damage the frame for at least a few orns, as it would strain the spark that had to integrate fully with its new chamber. He scowled at the CMO for the warning, but forced him to be civil to the mech and praise him for the work; he did deliver what he wanted and deserved it.

He dragged the still handcuffed Seeker with him, eager to reach his chambers, knowing what Soundwave warned him that it will be hard to explain this to his army. After killing Starscream and declaring him a traitor, to bring him back to life would surely look strange for many of his soldiers, even that they still believed in him. In that he had no doubts. So it was better to have him in his quarters, hid from questing optics for a while and introduce the topic carefully for the ranks. Consequently he wasn't happy when the whole Combaticon gestalt faced him when he turned around a corner – keeping it a secret was from this point on would be impossible. Their optics locked on the purportedly deactivated Seeker's frame, Onslaught bowed before him as it was proper, before speaking.

"Forgive us My Lord." – he clearly felt that they weren't lucky to have met him at all and seeing Starscream with him he could guess why. The Seeker was handcuffed and collared in a way that it signified a slave status and he was baffled by it. He certainly angered Megatron many times, but it only ever got him beaten – to be made into a slave upon bringing back to life would be a bad sign to all of them. If one Decepticon can be enslaved, the others faced that possibility too, should they displease the warlord. Not that he'd dare to ask the tyrant as to what the Pit happened… but apparently he felt the need to explain anyway.

"He's not Starscream, only Optimus. It is just an appearance." – he felt enraged that he had to explain his actions to an underling and the cold laugh that echoed in his audials didn't make the situation any better. He shook Optimus, just to see that it wasn't him laughing… but then who dared to…? He stared at the mechs in front of him suspiciously, but none has dared to even twitch a faceplate, much less laugh at him. – "Not your problem anyway. Begone!"

They cleared the corridor pretty slagging fast after that. By the time Megatron got to his chambers, he already forgot about the whole incident as he watched his new toy. Optimus hasn't spoken since he awakened and he was apparently pretty awkward with his new proportions; not only the wings that seemingly moved on their own all the time, but the high thruster-heels and the much more slender limbs all caused him to stumble a lot and be very shaky on his pedes, as he did his usual chores around the suite of rooms. Megatron of course watched him all the time, smirking and laughing at him as he tottered around, occasionally throwing unmistakably lustful looks after him, making Optimus even more self-conscious.

It didn't help that Optimus got these sudden, unexplained surges of heat in his circuits; he thought with dismay that if he inherited the Seeker's hidden but undeniable penchant towards the warlord he'd have some dark times ahead. He never felt that way towards Megatron, their relationship even before the war was rather brotherly and not anything deeper; they have always had their separate interests and never cultivated each other. Of course the war, numerous betrayals and his behaviour since the surrender didn't exactly endear the tyrant in his optics either. So where else these sudden heated bouts could come from if not the Seeker?

The worst thing was when Megatron noticed it and thought that his arousal was caused by him and so it gave him absolution for pressuring him to interface. So far, as long as he was Optimus, he was not coerced, forced or raped; it was a line that the tyrant hasn't crossed even in his most overcharged rages. But since having a Seeker frame, Optimus felt strongly, with a growing, apprehensive certainty that it was only a matter of time. Megatron didn't want the Seeker's frame brought back to life to platonically admire its lines.

Being a grounder all in his function, Optimus didn't feel comfortable in the Seeker's frame at all, and that was just the physical part of it. Mentally, he felt nauseous for being in another mech's frame, having access to his memories to a depth that freaked him out at times. He not only saw what Starscream lived through, but felt it as he accessed the memories – which he tried not to, but sometimes it was inevitable. Seeing the war from the Seeker's viewpoint was… educating to say at least. Humbling too on several levels.

Optimus, as a former dockworker had thought that he knew how the lower echelons of the Cybertronian society lived and could be fair and just drawing from those memories; but after seeing the Seeker's memories from before the war, he decided that there were a lot what he didn't know and a lot of lower classes than a simple dockworker in Iacon. How the Seekers were treated in the so-called Golden Age, considered as mindless machines, disdained, controlled, grounded, starved… because the Senate and the nobles were afraid of them. Starscream was the only one able to break out from the heavily oppressed Vos, his mind letting him enter the Science Academy – just to be prejudiced and condemned at the first opportunity.

Even as a Prime he didn't know half of it. It was a sobering experience to see after so much time why the Seekers chose Megatron's side and stuck to it even after Megatron became almost as oppressive as the Senate before. Seeing the memories, the feelings, the suffering, Optimus knew that in Starscream's place he wouldn't have trusted an Autobot either, not even a Prime. While he had always disapproved his predecessor of some of his actions, he never knew before seeing it exactly how much Sentinel committed in the name of the peace.

Unfortunately all that knowledge didn't help him now, after all this time, after the war was over and any chance of making up or just apologizing has long been gone. As much as he understood the Seeker better than before it was too late. Albeit that cold laughter he sometimes heard – and he was sure that Megatron did too – made him doubt that Starscream was truly gone. It would just be the stubborn Seeker to stick around as a ghost to torment them.

* * *

**A ghost**

It wasn't easy or simple to be a ghost as Starscream soon noticed after he died. To regain consciousness after the sure knowledge of being deactivated was queer at least… but to call it terrifying would cover it far better. He didn't really remember later what he did at those first few breems – or joors, as time had quite lost its meaning since he couldn't keep count of it but they were hectic. He had no body, no processors, no spark and the scientist in him desperately tried to come up with something, an explanation, however far-fetched so that he wouldn't go mad. No, a mad ghost would be even more frightfully unbelievable than a – more or less – sane one. If he was honest to himself, probably that search for an explanation saved his sanity at first.

The best he could come up with though was determination. Or willpower in other words, the complete and utter denial of being dead. He had always been clinging to his life with a desperation that helped him to survive the myriad beatings that Megatron handed out to him; it shouldn't have come as a great surprise that he hung onto it even after his body could not any more. But, as he soon noticed, without the body and spark to hold himself together, it was increasingly difficult to hang on and not let that rage and fury go that gave an almost-solidity to the thoughts that composed his self now.

Whenever he lost this determination, he became hazy, the thoughts started to wander and his not-quite-existing body that was corporeal and nonmaterial started to dissolve even more. It was frightening the first time and remained so even as he slipped into it afterwards from time to time; he supposed that it was so, because that would have meant a real death, a true nonexistence, the final loss of self. So he kept himself together by continuously thinking of it, reminding himself of his body, his mind, his trine-mates, flying, facing… keeping in mind never to slip and lose himself. It wasn't easy.

Some things helped. He couldn't go far or long from his body or things became confused and indistinct and he flew back to the safety of its solid presence. Apparently something still connected him to his former frame – or it was just easier to remember if he had something to go by. Being near to his former Trine-mates also helped to remember and hold himself together; that one was probably because of the bond that they shared and since it took him no time to move, he could be with them whenever he wanted to. But he preferred the nearness of his body over scaring them with his presence.

Besides that it really helped to be around Megatron, and remember with fury what the fragger did to him. It also caused him a perverse enjoyment to torment the tyrant with whatever actions he could still enact on the real world; as he learned these were mainly sounds and the coldness of his not-there touch on their plating. Megatron, never truly a balanced and sane individual could be tormented into a real, full-blown madness just by his laughter and icy touch. Others too noticed him occasionally, or thought that they did and spread ghost stories afterwards. He didn't mind them.

It was too bad though that even with his body present, even it fixed to perfection, even by his corporeal self entering it, merging with it, he couldn't bring it back to life again. The frame remained cold and gray no matter how hard he tried to reanimate it. The spark was missing and without it, he could only be this empty, inept, sorry shadow of himself. Nor could he possess other mechs, and use their pulsing sparks to give life back to him or at least control their feeble minds as he saw fit. He tried it enough times but the only effect he could achieve was their splitting processor-aches, no use for him. Nevertheless he enjoyed causing it to Megatron as often as he wanted to.

When Starscream saw what Megatron intended to do with his body, he raged. Impotently, unseen, barely heard, but he raged around him, shadow-claws tearing him apart a thousand times, mist-fangs biting into his energon lines, unreal servos rending his plating and squeezing his worthless spark… but he only achieved the warlord to be even more obsessed and determined to go through with this abomination. Nor could he influence or damage the others' minds either; Hook took a painkiller chip for his processor-ache and went on to study the technique, Soundwave didn't even believe that he heard or felt anything that couldn't be explained, and Skyfire… poor Skyfire felt nauseated by what he was forced to do anyway, there was really no need and no use to torment him. The ex-Prime, well, slagging noble Optimus didn't even know about it until he awakened in _his_ body.

He didn't know what to do with his wings, the born grounder that he was for sure. The first dozens of orns he bumped the tips into every vertical surface, from doorway to furniture before he learned that his turning radius just grew to the triple of what it was before and the thruster heels weren't on his big pedes any more. It hurt both of them, Starscream not at least since he kept close to Optimus all the time, because being close meant that he didn't have to concentrate that hard on keeping himself together. The downside of it was that with the body, he felt the pain too. It was kinda fortunate that the flight systems were locked down, because if he tried, he would surely crash a lot.

The connection was even stronger now, that _his_ body was alive, a spark spinning in its chamber, energon flowing in its lines; when he merged with it, it felt almost real – if only for as long as it lasted. It was really funny that Optimus perceived those merges with distinct arousal that baffled him as coming from nowhere. Starscream experimented with the already queer situation a lot, having all the time in the world and nothing to do – by raising Optimus's charge till the point of overloading, his awareness of the body grew exponentially, until he almost felt one with it. But at the end he was always a ghost no matter how hard he tried.

At those times he even gained access to the processors as well, and – by simple curiosity – he rewrote his own slave codes to the point where it was just a password protecting their quasi integrity and if he gave it, Optimus would be totally free to act. But he didn't give him that, not yet anyway. The noble fool would just go and try to free his Autobots and be deactivated for his efforts. No, he'd need better odds than he had presently. But if he could rewrite his codes, then he might be able to do the same with the other Autobots… and thereby freeing them to act. But what would his own profit be if he let them do it? None of them could truly hear him or give him a new life.

* * *

**A picture**

Skywarp sat on a cliff and brooded. It used to be a very rare occurrence, so rare as to be almost unheard of. Thundercracker himself couldn't remember another time and he's been with the black Seeker for as long as the war. But still, he knew the reason for it. Starscream still wasn't avenged, no matter that their little colony of Seekers started to flourish and they should have done it long ago. It was his fault partly, he insisted that they should establish themselves instead of every Trine going on their ways and it took time, took energy, planning and a lot of work – all of which Skywarp thought should have been spent on getting their revenge. He looked up to his wingmate and sighed. The irresponsible, bubbly, scatter-processored prankster that he used to be was all but gone and the blue Seeker missed him.

He missed Starscream too, especially when they all needed his leadership or his mind. The two of them weren't as close as his mate bond was with Skywarp and it has always showed, no matter that lately they have made up for vorns of going separate ways and behaved like a real Trine again. Maybe it was a bit too little, too late for him and thus his slightly less enthusiasm towards their trine-leader and the lesser drive to get revenge for him. He was willing to give Starscream the chance of proving himself again – only they didn't have enough time for that. But for Warp, it was very different.

The back and purple Seeker didn't think as much as he did, didn't complicate his life with soul-searching and so when Starscream reknitted their Trine bonds, he gladly accepted him back into their love and berth with no hesitation or reservations. He didn't question Stars' motives or held back in case his warming up was just faked or acted. Consequently he took his death extremely hard, far beyond what Thundercracker himself felt too, the broken bond in their sparks. That it was just a Trine bond and not a mate bond didn't make it any less painful. Skywarp desperately wanted to avenge Starscream and took it almost as a personal affront that they couldn't do it any sooner.

"Come, Warp. It doesn't help to sit up here. We'll put together a plan soon and act. I promise."

"You promised a dozen times last groon." – came the flat, hurt answer. Skywarp stood without any more words and teleported back to their place without waiting for his trine-mate; an action quite telling to Thundercracker in itself. The more time it took the more he risked losing Skywarp too. Sighing through his vents and deciding that this time he would keep that promise and convince the other trines to help, he transformed and followed his mate to the settlement they built up. He looked back once at a small noise, half thinking that someone else has followed him out there, but he only saw the empty surface of the moon. Must have been imagining it.

As they landed beside the communal building, they heard loud arguments, a commotion of sorts and Thundercracker was exasperated before he even set a pede inside the doorway. The were arguing again, he supposed; it was half life-energon for Seekers, half the ever-changing pecking order that always shifted from this trine to that and back. He rarely intervened in it, because it always resulted in insults and frustrations on all who was involved in it, but sometimes he just couldn't take it any more. Like this time, when the bad mood of Skywarp loomed over his wings…

"What happened again?" – he asked as soon as they entered. It didn't look like the usual one-on-one or even a group brawl; they were grouping beside the long-range communications system, which was unusual in itself, everyone talking at the same time, dozens of wings twitching and quivering with barely restrained excitement and nervousness, casting multicolored flickers of reflected light all over the white walls.

"Come here and hurry!" – from an overexcited Thrust and – "You must see this!" – from a bemused Sunstorm with some – "Let them come closer!" – from someone in the gaggle of the other Seekers; and Thundercracker was understandably confused as the hands pushed him and Skywarp closer to the monitor. – "Start the recording!" – and when a servo at last pressed the button it was Thrust again almost bouncing - "Just watch it!"

The monitor showed the latest intel that they acquired from Cybertron. The report was mainly written in glyphs and containing info on the number of mechs, equipment and slaves that they could identify, besides some very little about the newest defensive armaments. It wasn't all that interesting and Thundercracker didn't understand why they had to be so excited by it. Skywarp was annoyed too… before the glyphs gave way to a visual recording and on the grainy, obviously made from afar pictures they saw Megatron, giving a speech on the main plaza of Kaon. That alone made Skywarp growl loudly but when the warlord finished and turned to go back to the buildings, they saw a flash of red and blue colours beside him and a white wing turning to follow him inside.

Despite of the bad quality of the visuals, it couldn't have been anything else but Starscream.

The other Seekers, who has already seen the recording at least once started to argue about it though. The colors could have been Optimus, he had been almost the same as the tricoloured Seeker. The wing could have been a mistake, some kibble or a board, or something on the admittedly not perfect picture. - "He was dead, we both felt it" – Thundercracker answered to an impatient question in a slightly dazed voice. – "No, not just the bond. His spark stopped too and all the energon was drained out." – he was getting angry and it was painful to recount those memories. Warp just looked frozen where he stood, wings too totally unmoving and silent. But not for long.

"Shut up."

He didn't have to shout, the cold, deadly voice that came from his vocalizer made them all look at him and tremble. That, and an unexplainable but frighteningly cold _presence_, that seemed to sweep down on them and over, reinforcing his words, disappearing only when the black Seeker continued.

"I'm going." – he didn't look dazed or despondent any more, rather determined and regaining all the fresh anger and rage that brought them out there. – "I expect those who are not sniveling cowards or oathbreakers to come too."

"Why should we risk…" – the one who asked this hid among the group, not daring to come out and say it straight into his faceplates.

"AIR COMMANDER! AND! WINGLORD!" – Skywarp suddenly yelled loudly at him, at all of them – "You all swore an oath to him!"

The shout and the silence that followed it rang in their audials, rolled around in the room, and was echoed by a silent, bitter laughter that made many of the shudder, as if from cold, and look around frightened. None of _them_ laughed but all recognized the sound, whom it belonged to.

"He is right. If Starscream is alive – somehow – then we must help him. At least contact him to see what is going on."

"He could have flown away, after us if he wanted to."

"How could he know where we went?"

"Okay, we should go. But not all of us at once. You two, to gather information. Something is not right in this and we cannot afford an attack still."

Sunstorm, so far silent spoke up hesitantly. "Have you thought of getting help… or information from the… Autobots?"

The question was greeted with silence. No matter that they defected from the Decepticon army, none of them has thought of cooperating with the formerly Autobots, presently slaves. But once Sunstorm mentioned it, it seemed a logical course of action. The enemy of my enemy is my ally. Or it could be. Only problem was that there was almost as much bad energon between the Autobots and the Seekers as between masters and slaves; whether enough time has gone to forget it or not they couldn't say.

"They can't do much with the slave codes."

"But we can help them in that – and be helped in exchange." – Sunstorm was defending his idea – "With them we can have the numbers, especially as they can attack Megatron's forces from the inside, unexpectedly."

"We can think of it later – but right now, we are going." – Skywarp didn't want to waste even a breem and Thundercracker saw it better to give in to his determination. They packed up enough energon for the mission and launched.

* * *

**A situation**

Jazz thought that he knew the place, formerly Shockwave's lab inside out by this time. Over the last vorn, he's been in it with increasing frequency and always with the same reason; he was the only one able to rewrite his own codes in a way to go around the ones that Screamer wrote. They were a brilliant piece of coding, each a piece of art in itself, even though he would have liked to appreciate them from the outside rather than being bound with them. So within the first breem they got him, he started his slow, meticulous work to overcome them. It was almost like a war that he fought within his own processor, where unfortunately the enemy was also himself, only bound and twisted by the slave codes.

He got little advance at first, mainly because Starscream had expected him to do exactly that he'd try it and updated his codes frequently, like he did with Prowl's and Ratchet's, who were the other possible contenders for being able to overwrite them. But since the Seeker was deactivated, the Cons had no mech with even close to his expertise in coding and genius in anticipating the saboteur's attempts. Soundwave, with his blasted telepathy could check them regularly and when it was needed, Frenzy tinkered with the codes with the intent of securing them again. But then, Frenzy was a hacker and not a coder which meant that he talked big but his solutions were nowhere near what the Screamer could create.

So, lately Jazz could create a little pocket in his meta, where the slave codes had no effect, but were blind to it – and inside he could work in defeating them fully when the time came. When it would come, he didn't know, but he could see that the mighty Decepticon Empire was careening towards its end faster and faster every orn. _Was it really the Screaming One who held it all together?_ Jazz could hardly believe that, even though he did acknowledge the Seeker's mind and abilities. Still, he was only one mech. But even as one mech, he held it together enough so that the system's inherent weaknesses – slave labour, unfit and middling workers, no leader materials, too few mechs and no family units, no sparklings, nothing to hold them together, but an increasingly drunken, mad tyrant's will – didn't make it fall apart earlier.

He worked with the Bots least likely to rebel and therefore the least checked and held in suspicion – the Protectobots. Though unable to merge and form Defensor, they had depths that First Aid helped him to use; the processor and meta of the whole gestalt. Normally they couldn't access it without merging, but necessity breaks all rules and the two of them made a way. The upside of it was that the Cons couldn't detect it, not even Soundwave; the downside that it wasn't made for delicate coding and as such Jazz had a hard time of utilizing the raw processing power. Still, slow work was far better than no work and in the groons that came Jazz got closer and closer to win his inner war with his own meta.

When it was noticed by Soundwave, he usually got taken to the lab that formerly belonged to Shockwave to let Frenzy have a go at the codes and fix them to safety. But what Frenzy didn't now he couldn't fix, and lately Jazz kept all his advances safely in the gestalt processor, away from the small Con's attention. He was close to a breakthrough and didn't want to fail in it and let Soundwave know. He didn't want the Protectobots get suspicious and into trouble. He was more careful than ever in his long function. Failure was not an option, because he would not get a second chance.

What he and the other slaves didn't understand was that Starscream seemed to be reborn and they saw him again around or at least the Cons talked about him again as one alive and functioning. Still, something was strange, because they all seemed to be unnerved by the topic itself, like Starscream was a ghost – and he should have been one, after being deactivated – to be feared. But he wasn't the same as before that much they noticed even as slaves; the bad organization and inept overseers remained the same, like it wasn't him in charge of them any more.

* * *

**A decision**

At the end it was Thundercracker, Skywarp and Sunstorm going back to Cybertron, to gain information at first then to decide what to do. The landed well away from Kaon, to approach it on the ground and by teleporting from cover to cover. The rebuilt but totally empty town offered plenty of hiding places and Sunstorm surprisingly proved to be quite efficient in discovering the booby traps and surveillance devices. After a joor of slowly approaching the inner part Thundercracker thought that they might even succeed. It was in one of these renovated buildings that they saw the first signs of life; an Autobot worked on the machinery there that produced some kind of replacement parts.

"Should we try to talk with him?"

"And risk him alerting the guards? No. On the way back, maybe." – Skywarp hissed back. He was totally set on rescuing Starscream and didn't care about the Autobots. They continued on their way, going as stealthily as three fully grown, brightly colored Seekers could, warping towards the city center and Megatron's quarters.

When they left, Jazz looked up with a smirk on his lipplates and shook his helm slightly. Really, they couldn't have been more obvious for a former spec ops. He had an idea why they came; probably heard the rumours about Starscream and wanted to investigate. After all his deactivation was the reason why they left and if he was alive still – or again – then Thundercracker and Skywarp would want their Trine leader back. Jazz decided to help them a bit – it's been too long since he made some commotion anyway. With deft digits, he started to work on the machinery he was assigned to. The Cons would see what a good saboteur could do without upsetting his codes…

The Seekers made a short stop in a clearly empty, unused building, just off the plaza. Skywarp needed a bit of a recharge and refuel after so many jumps to be able to help their escape too if they found Starscream. Sunstorm was lookout on the roof and Thundercracker on the ground level entrance when they saw the commotion. Many mechs, Decepticons of course, ran towards the way they came and the blue Seeker was for a klik worried if they had been discovered. But it didn't make any sense, as they left that area a while ago and stayed in their current hiding place for the past joor. After the other mechs, he even saw Megatron, scowling and looking dark, while striding after his soldiers. Something must have happened there and they shouldn't miss the opportunity.

He ran up to call Sunstorm from the roof, but met the yellow Seeker halfway – he saw the same thing and decided the same course of action than Thundercracker. Together they awakened Skywarp and told him what just happened. The black Seeker looked only a tiny bit disappointed at not being able to meet with Megatron, but relieved too; when he thought rationally, he knew that they wouldn't quite be a match for the tyrant – especially not with the other Cons helping him. So he nodded and silently transported them into what they knew to be their former quarters, expecting Starscream or his things to be there. But the rooms were empty, all what they used to own removed, the place stark and obviously unused for as long as they left.

"Where else could he be?" – Sunstorm asked, not really understanding the situation. True, there were plenty of empty places in the town for a mech to stay, but why would Starscream give up the prestigious tower apartment, a sign of his command position and the best view on the town? And why would no other mech take it for his own use?

Thundercracker and Skywarp glanced at each other, knowing that the Starscream that they knew would give up this place only for the one better than this… - "In Megatron's quarters…"

"Why?" – Sunstorm still didn't get it.

"Either they made up… which I don't think he would do; or he forced Screamer to stay with him." – Thundercracker knew which he believed. Starscream would never willingly agree to cohabit with the mech who killed him once. Considering Skywarp's stormy countenance he was of the same opinion. They warped one level up, but the spacious chambers were just as devoid of life as the other apartment.

"Look." – it was a frightfully cold and dark voice from Skywarp. He pointed to one wall, the energon splattered on it, still sluggishly dripping to the ground, into a veritable little puddle, signifying that the violence that transpired here was probably within the last breem. A mangled piece of red metal lay in the pinkish fluid, like its colour seeped into it. Skywarp lifted it up, his purple digits roughly smoothing the bent plate trying to find out its function. It was a shoulder vent, so characteristic of Seekers, the red of it so characteristic of Starscream.

"Repair bay." – Thundercracker wasn't any less affected by their find, vocalizer tightening as he took in the violent scene. It was proof that Starscream indeed was alive, however impossible that sounded. It was also proof that Megatron's treatment of him hasn't changed an iota, making it quite unlikely to live together willfully. They warped again, mercifully forgetting the scene and surprising Hook as he bent over the central table, working on the mangled, beaten but clearly living form of Starscream on it.

"Continue." – Thundercracker knew that they didn't have a medic back in their settlement and therefore taking Screamer away in his condition might mean his slow death. He did, however point his blasters on the CMO, just like Skywarp and Sunstorm. – "And you don't want to comm anyone, right?"

Hook nodded, feeling cold and terrified inside. Skywarp's deadly glare was one thing but to see calm, collected, thoughtful Thundercracker's garnet glance burn with murder too convinced him. No, he didn't really want to stop them or oppose them in any way. He turned back to the table, digits flying as he fixed the injuries. He had already stabilized the Seeker and repaired the most serious injuries before they came, but he worked fast to finish the job before the deadly quiet Seekers standing around him lost their patience.

"Please… when you go make it look like that you forced me." – he requested, thinking ahead when Megatron would storm in and demand to know how his toy disappeared. He was actually relieved when he saw the curt nod from Thundercracker and worked even faster. – "He'll be sedated for the next joor or so. I'm sorry, I couldn't have known that you'd come."

Another silent nod. Hook was actually nervous by the usually talkative Seekers being so deathly quiet. It was damned cold too in here… he frowned slightly at the thought, as the temperature in the repair bay was exactly as it was at all times. Nevertheless he finished the repairs as fast as he could and nodded, slightly apprehensive to Thundercracker, silently counting on his calmness to not make any rash action. He saw Skywarp's fist from the side, flashing its violet towards his helm, connecting. As he fell, he heard with fading consciousness:

"Have to make it look believable."

The next blow mercifully put him out cold.


	7. Matrix

**Warning**: violence, non-con (not detailed)

* * *

**Matrix**

* * *

** Pool**

Optimus struggled towards consciousness, but it was still slow work. He tried to remember what happened – not that it was hard to guess, but he'd prefer some real memories. Or maybe he wouldn't…? Slowly, it started to trickle back into his meta, making him groan… oh yes, just what he'd been afraid of for a while now. Washing and polishing Megatron has always been the most humiliating task that he had to do, but since he was in the Seeker's frame it was far more… dangerous and in a different way than before. He had to struggle with the arousal that his system generated, so he'd not show it to the tyrant, not encourage him to take advantage of it. Kinda hard when in the sensuous pool filled with warm solvent and them so close that the charge occasionally jumped across their plates. Kinda hard with the Seeker frame heating up so easily. Kinda hard when he had to touch him and… yeah, it always started that way.

Only, this time he probably didn't keep enough distance, didn't show himself to be uninterested enough, because the time came when he felt the big servos on his plating tighten as Megatron started to paw the wings and gradually drew him closer. Close enough for their plates to touch, to feel him running hotter, hear the vents working harder, see the wings shuddering and causing little waves run around in the pool and take it as encouragement. By this time he tried desperately to break the grip to escape from the unwanted closeness and no matter the consequences.

He just wasn't strong enough. Neither as Optimus and apparently nor as a Seeker. He shook the memories away that threatened to come out… of occasions like this. He didn't need them. He knew already how it would end, not that he gave up for the knowledge. He felt his back and wings pressed to the wall of the pool – not only painful as the edge bit into the sensitive metal but also bringing up a small panic of being trapped, unable to move his wings… While one of Megatron's servos kept his own restrained, the other fondling the captive wings, alternating with an occasional pinch and scratch, eliciting unwanted yelps and occasionally a moan that he failed to bite back.

Optimus tried not to groan and upped his efforts to get out of this situation, using the slippery solvent to his advantage. Finally, he managed to free his servos, push him away and with his foot trip Megatron into the shallow pool. The shocked surprise on his faceplates was almost worth it, he thought as he scrambled to get out of the pool. Almost, because he rose again with a roar, rage quickly consuming his face and he was fast enough to grab him just as he jumped out. The Seeker frame was far more agile than his old one, but it still couldn't beat Megatron's longer reach and lightning-fast reflexes. Caught in mid-jump with a painfully strong grip on the thrusters he crashed onto the floor, just beside the bathing pool.

Megatron was on him in no time at al, bellowing and snarling as he proceeded to beat the will out of him. Damn, but it hurt. Starscream may have been used to being beaten thus, but he certainly wasn't – it was so different from battle injuries. The Seeker frame seemed to have ten times the sensors than his old one and Megatron somehow managed to hurt all of them. Especially in the wings. Optimus had not had the slightest idea how could anything metal be that sensitive, but obviously, Megatron did and used to his advantage. He was soon reduced to a writhing, screaming mass on the floor, the slippery solvent that pooled around him soon mixed with sticky energon and coolant from his lines.

That was when he started to claw at his interface panel and Optimus, even amongst the pain all over knew that this was it, because he saw no way the tyrant would stop what he was doing, and he himself could not get away any more. His struggles were reduced to some impotent scratches on the silver armor and a few, weak kicks on his legs as Megatron continued to pin him down with his weight and beat the resistance out of him. The panel was torn off, its little sting lost among the sea of pain and Megatron wasn't interested in foreplay either. The vicious thrust into his valve was seared like a burning edge onto the canvas of pain that he was in and Optimus dazedly prayed to at least lose consciousness soon, as his screams cut out together with his vocalizer.

He did fell offline at some point, but not nearly soon enough, as the haphazard memory bits told him. He came online again – with a shock of plain flaming up suddenly - when his mangled frame was thrown carelessly onto the repair table and lost it again, when the cold of the sedative spread into him, blessedly numbing the myriad places that relentlessly sent their clamoring damage reports to his aching processors. He half woke again as he felt the acceleration, as his transport speeded out of the gravity well… _wait what transport, where, who?_ But he fell back into uneasy recharge again, his healing nanites prioritizing his repair over information. When he came online again, it was a dozen Seeker faces looming over him from all around, staring at him like a ghost.

* * *

**Shuttle**

Skywarp and the other Seekers warped from medbay back to that building where they have rested before, leaving a slightly worse for wear and thoroughly offline Hook behind. The big house was in a good position, easily defendable, with good view all around in case any mech tried to approach them. Starscream was out cold and they wanted to wait him to awaken. But Thundercracker was worried about that too.

"The problem is, even after the sedative is out of his system, he won't be able to fly. He'll probably get into recharge to let the nanites finish integrating the repaired parts. Major repairs work that way."

"Ahh… too bad. How long will that take?" – Skywarp wanted to get away fastest now, that revenge was not a priority any more. It was fine to want to kill Megatron in the white-hot heat of anger, but an entirely different matter facing him when prepared and indubitably stronger.

"Up to an orn? I just don't know. He looked pretty bad."

Now he became nervous too – "We can't stay here for that long…"

"I know. The klik Megatron notices him gone and we will have a mech-hunt on us."

"I can warp us around, but we can't take him to space in this condition…"

"We can't…" – Thundercracker glanced out of the window to sweep his gaze around the square. It caught at one point, seeing a big frame there that had just landed – "…but he can."

He pointed out at the hulking, white-red frame of the shuttle, who was bemusedly awaiting at the square for the Decepticons who would unload his cargo. Skyfire just returned from Earth, packed full with Energon and didn't know about the commotion that Jazz caused and drew most mechs, even Megatron there to deal with it. He nervously awaited on the square for some mech to come and give him orders. When the Seekers stepped out from one of the building, he tensed, but the slave codes have never been modified to disregard the fliers from the Decepticon category whom he must obey… so when Thundercracker ordered him over to the building, he complied.

When he saw Starscream's frame brought out and loaded into his hold, he froze for a few kliks and his processor was in complete turmoil, seeing the colours on the frame, signifying that he was alive. _Impossible_, he repeated to himself, _it can't be, it's simply not possible!_ He saw the Seeker deactivated, grayed out, unmoving, he felt his mind dead, his processors frozen, his memory banks shut down. How did they bring him back to life? Dazed with disbelief, he still heard Thundercracker's orders and he dared to feel glad. Anywhere afar from Megatron would be better for Star. And for him too.

"Follow us off-planet and disregard any other orders apart from us. Are you fuelled up enough for a journey to the Stultax II system's Levarg Moon?"

"Y-yes, I can reach it." – he answered after consulting his star maps. It wasn't even that far. He kept his internal sensors on the Seeker, strapped down for his own safety. He had fresh welds and repairs and was obviously in a medical recharge. He probably wouldn't wake up before they reached their goal, albeit he moved a little, like dreaming. Skyfire still couldn't believe that his old friend – _no, not a friend for a while, have to remember that_ – was alive again and they were together once more. He was sure that on the moon they'd find the defecting Seekers' settlement and that even after carrying the Seeker there he would not let to go back. Not that he would want to.

The trip was uneventful and tersely quiet, each of them keeping their silence for various reasons. They landed near the settlement and Thundercracker removed Starscream's still prone frame from the shuttle. He gave standing orders to Skyfire to stay with them, not to reveal their coordinates to anyone or contact anyone – basically what he expected. As far as he was the highest ranking Decepticon around – and the codes certainly accepted him to be - he'd have to follow them. Skyfire decided that as far as Megatron and Soundwave weren't around he'd be fine with the Seekers. Maybe even Starscream would, in time soften a bit and they could be friends again…

* * *

**Seekers**

All Seekers came out from their buildings when they saw them landing and their curiosity just grew exponentially when they saw Thundercracker taking Starscream's frame from the shuttle. He told them to unload the energon too – not that they needed it, but it was still a bonus for their stores. He carried the prone frame into the communal building, laying him on a handy berth there. His digits already started to twitch slightly, signalling that he'd online soon when Thrust, hovering nearby suddenly spoke up.

"Why is his helm blue?"

They all stared at it, Thundercracker and Skywarp looking at each other – how could they miss it before?

"I have no idea… we'll have to ask him when he onlines."

"Unless the shuttle knows…" – they all looked at Skyfire, who just shrugged helplessly; he hasn't seen the Seeker since his deactivation.

They didn't have to wait long before Starscream started to twitch minutely and after some squirming opened his optic covers. The emotion that flashed in the red optics was strange, Thundercracker thought, it was neither happiness nor joy… rather a sort of resigned acceptance, like he didn't really want to be there but not having a say in it, he acquiesced to it. Could they have been so wrong and Screamer wanted that sick pain-pleasure relationship with Megatron? Skywarp apparently didn't miss the glance either and when he spoke, his voice betrayed the uncertainty.

"Uhh… Screamer…?"

Optimus's thoughts were still a bit sluggish but it didn't stop him from realizing the fact that the Seekers thought him to be Starscream. It did, however made him vary of how to express the fact that he wasn't; he simply wasn't sure how they'd take the information.

"I… uhh… it is not that simple. But I'm not… khmmm, not Starscream."

They stared at him like frozen ice-statues, he once saw the humans make in wintertime. Well, it was still better than reacting with violence. Optimus squirmed a little, signalling that he'd want to sit up at least – laying on his back was not really comfortable, if he didn't set the wings just right. They moved away a few inches automatically, just enough for him to sit. Apparently Seekers didn't have big personal spaces, or invading it was common practice.

"H-how is that possible?" – It was Thundercracker who first shook the frozen disbelief off himself. - "This is Starscream's frame. I recognize it." – by the time he finished the sentence, Skywarp nodding in affirmation beside him, Thundercracker's voice was already tinted with suspicion. Of course they would be intimately familiar with Starscream's frame; even he knew that Trines usually meant intimate relationships too. He'd have to clear this up soon or they could turn inimical if they thought that he'd gotten the frame through despicable means.

"Yes… it is. I'm Optimus. Megatron made Hook to rebuild me in your former Trine-leader's frame. I'm sorry…"

The silence was only broken by a silent, but still distinctly unhappy scream that all of them heard. It echoed around them, bringing cold and shivering, fretful wings with his noise. More than one Seeker flinched as they heard it and Optimus was kinda glad that it took some of the attention from himself. Skywarp was the only one seemingly unaffected by the surreal experience while he gaped at him, mouthing silently '_Optimus'_, like he didn't know what it meant and Optimus felt more than a bit insulted. They couldn't have forgotten what a Prime was, now, could they?

He felt a sudden coldness, followed by the usual hot arousal in his circuits and miraculously, the slave codes in his processor dissolved suddenly, like they have never existed. By this time, he more than believed that the infamous Seeker did stick around as a ghost or similar apparition and these unexplainable, sudden bouts of hot and cold signalled his presence. It was really the only explanation, however surreal it sounded. But to have the slave codes rewritten in the processor that was currently _his_, he didn't know how it was possible. He'd have to confer with the humans who had far more experience – or claimed to do so – about afterlife and visitations. Cybertronians did not have any notions of such; mechs who'd gone to the Well or the Pit tended to stay there and not come back, unless completely reborn.

"I know that it is not what you had expected. Believe me, it is not something that I'm comfortable with either… but then they didn't ask me before it was done."

"So you… you are not Starscream…? He is… he is truly GONE?" – Skywarp looked more and more livid by the klik and Optimus was suddenly apprehensive. The black Seeker was famous for being volatile and reacting with violence and he was shaky enough on his thrusters not to want to fight for his life just yet. He'd have to calm him down before he did something unwise.

"I truly sorry… I mean I couldn't help it… but here I am, trying to make the best of it. It is not like I have a frame to go back to, even if it would be my choice. But I think that I heard your Trine-leader's sounds around more than once. Even deactivated he seems to want to stick around."

They gaped at him at that even more. Truly, Optimus has never seen so many dumbfounded Seekers and he almost made a mistake of smirking at the thought. Fortunately he captured the intention before it could translate into a facial movement. He had a sneaking suspicion that Skywarp for one wouldn't have appreciated it as humor, even as he heard the surreal laughter in his audials. Starscream, apparently was in agreement with him.

"B-but you are a grounder!" – Thundercracker felt almost insulted. To put a grounder into the Winglord's frame?

"That, I most certainly am. I felt it in the wings every time I bumped them into something." – a few snickers came from the peanut gallery at the weak attempt to joke and Optimus appreciated it as breaking the ice. He'd rather have the Seekers laugh at him than blame him for Starscream's fate. It took a few joors and some more jokes at his expense before the air in the place became, well, not friendly, but at least not inimical either. He even saw Skywarp's mouth curve into a smirk that he tried and failed to hide after a while and then he felt somewhat safe for the first time in vorns. At least the Seekers responded to his jokes about his predicament – Megatron wasn't so easy to manipulate. Rather impossible, as he thought back.

The only one not swayed by the self-derision and ironic humour was Thundercracker, who sat at the side and watched him work the crowd and slowly bend them if not to his side, but at least to be neutral to him. Optimus knew that he would be an entirely different matter to convince and sway. But he wasn't worried about him overasmuch – philosophing and dissecting thoughts was more his forte than humor, in which he heavily leaned on Starscream's memories and experiences. Those caused a few queer kliks too, when a certain Seeker would just stare at him, almost visibly wondering where he had known that piece of information that he shouldn't be privy to.

* * *

**Negotiating**

"You are clever." – Thundercracker remarked casually as he sat down by Optimus, finally deciding that he saw enough and came closer. Most of the Seekers have left by this time and they were more or less alone in the common room. The blue Seeker nonchalantly handed a cube of high grade to him which he gladly accepted; with all that transpired that orn, Optimus hardly remembered when he last refueled. – "You worked them like a pro, that you used to be Optimus… Prime?" – the last word he enunciated with an almost questioning tone.

"I'm not a Prime any more, Thundercracker." – he suddenly felt tired, despite of the energy boost of the cube, a fine high grade by any reckoning. – "And you of all mechs probably see that presently I try to survive, nothing more. I do not aspire to any sort of power that Starscream held among you. I know that having this frame does not qualify me for any such; neither personally, in your Trine nor legally among the Seekers. But I don't want to be blamed for it either."

"I don't blame you for it." – Thundercracker sipped from his own cube, courtesy dictating that he too should drink and not let the guest… guest? Is he that now? ... so the guest drink alone. – "Although I can't help but wonder of your motives. Survival is just the surface for even an ex-Prime."

Optimus only had to look at Starscream's memories to know where that mistrust and suspicion came from. He understood it perfectly, in the Seeker's place he'd have held himself in doubt as well. They didn't have good experiences with Sentinel Prime and no matter how he regretted that, he had to face with the consequences. They didn't know him to be any better yet.

"I'm not a Prime any more, hasn't been one for vorns." – he turned slightly to look the blue Seeker in the optics. – "You know what Starscream's fate was in Megatron's hands. I got to experience the same. Believe me, it reduces a mech to pure survival, nothing more. He is a master of manipulating, torture and coercion." – Optimus decided that it would be unwise to mention Starscream as a perpetrator in what transpired. Megatron was the main motivator anyway. Starscream, although not quite a victim, was heavily manipulated into the position where he did what the warlord wanted.

They fell silent for a while at that, wings a tiny bit nervously flexing backwards; Optimus too was getting the hang of it slowly.

"True. But… if you are not the Prime, not the winglord, not Starscream… then who are you and who do you want to be? You managed to survive, when Star did not. What now? You aren't just a middling person, even without the Matrix in your chest. You can't exactly hide among the ranks, not with flaunting Star's colours anyway."

"I haven't really had time to think any further than surviving yet. If you accept me here, I'd be happy to help in anything you want me to. I take it that you are the leader of the Seekers now…?" – it was half a guess, half a question; Optimus didn't know the rest of the Seekers well enough to judge who could take Starscream's place. Thundercracker could, that much he suspected, he certainly had the processor for it.

"I am but an administrator really… I'm not a leader type. I'm more comfortable with following someone, like Star… but these idiot glitches don't come even close to what he was. We just dawdle here really…"

"He is here around, you know?"

"What do you mean around? You mentioned it before, but… are you serious?"

"Surely you heard him, felt the cold touch and the sheer presence he sometimes exudes?"

Thundercracker did feel and hear it of course, he just didn't want to believe in it.

"But it is… impossible."

"Well, look up the human concept 'ghost'. They have plenty of information on the subject."

It was fortunate that Thundercracker was fairly well-versed in human culture, because Cybertronians had no concept of ghosts. Afterlife yes; when a mech died he went to either the Well of All Sparks or the Pit according to how Primus judged their lives to have been lived. But no visitations from either place, no corporeal entities who walked among the functioning existed in their culture.

"But how is it possible?"

"I'm not a scientist. Not even a priest, no matter the Matrix. I can only offer my guess: that Starscream simply refused to die."

"That would be Screamer all right…" – Skywarp joined them again with some high grade too. He even had a slight smirk on his face at the idea.

"But why? What would keep him here?"

"Revenge…? A hope for regaining his body? Sheer cussedness?"

"My frequent processor-aches and other reactions tell me that he did try to… repossess… his frame."

"But he couldn't."

"Would you give it back if he could?"

"Provided that I get another frame… yes, of course." – Optimus considered the idea perfectly normal and fair; he didn't feel the Seeker frame as his and if Starscream could have it again, then he'd gladly give it up. – "Only… I see no way for it. And I don't think you have scientists among you who can examine the matter and make even guesses as to how to start."

"But there are some among your Autobots. Perceptor, Wheeljack, Ratchet… if anymech is capable of finding a way for it, they are the ones. But would they help?"

"If you help them to escape slavery… I think they would. In fact I'm sure that in exchange for your help in it, we can do whatever we can about Starscream. It can also coincide with your revenge."

"He's right TC. We want to get Megatron for this and we did consider the Autobots as possible help." – Skywarp suddenly found that everything fell into its place and the solution for their problems was right in front of them.

"We have to plan this carefully. Gather information. Contact the Autobots and get their codes rewritten. A lot of things to do, plan and coordinate…"

"I can help you with detailed info about the fortifications, the armaments, the forces, patrols… everything. I read every report that Megatron got." – and since the slave codes were dissolved, he could tell it to the Seekers too. Optimus was sure that it was Starscream's doing, albeit it wasn't a comfortable feeling to know that he had shared a processor with the Seeker and not even feel it.

"That would be really helpful." – and far more than Thundercracker expected. Optimus apparently was more useful than he first thought. – "By the way… can you fly?"

"I never had the opportunity to try. But to be honest, I'm not optimistic…"

"You can try it tomorrow. Warp can port us somewhere farther… it'd be best if the others don't see if you fail." – Thundercracker had a glint in his optics that Optimus recognized. He had a plan, something that involved him, required flying - but he wouldn't tell it yet.

* * *

**Matrix**

The next orn saw the three of them on an empty plateau, far from prying optics. Optimus was apprehensive and the other two saw it clearly on his quivering wings. He'd gone through all his flight protocols and systems during the recharge cycle and they seemed frightfully complex. Driving was far easier and he wished his well-known truck-form back instead of a flier frame that everyone half-expected not only to able to fly but be the best of it at once. He also wished if Starscream's ghost would be able to help him – but the mocking laughter at that wish suggested him that it was either impossible or the Seeker just wouldn't do it. It would be so much easier if he was able to communicate with the ghost, convince him to help, as it was both their interests.

He saw that the other two was almost as uncomfortable with the situation as he – albeit for different reasons. They stared at him covertly, the red optics sliding all over the frame before they noticed him glancing back and looked away quickly. Optimus almost felt their thoughts, the yearning for their partner, Trine-leader, mate… it made his own broken bond twinge, acutely uncomfortable. Not that they were in any way objectionable… no, Seekers were a secret crush of him for a long time, before he deemed it inappropriate for a Prime to admire the enemy and suppressed the feeling. It decided to come to the surface though and the Seekers' longing glances didn't help him any.

"Well… try your thrusters without transforming first." – Thundercracker's deep voice broke the silence that started to become awkward.

Optimus nodded and did just that. At first it seemed okay, as he slowly rose into the still air of the moon. But at the first variable, he lost it, as the straight trajectory wobbled and he started to compensate, then again and again… and it quickly overwhelmed his ability to follow the process. Fortunately he wasn't that high and the two Seekers caught him. Unfortunately, it didn't become easier even after a joor's practice; he kept thinking with his grounder processor, in two dimensions and he simply couldn't cope with flying.

"It doesn't work." – he admitted frustrated, dented and low on energon after Skywarp teleported them back to the compound. – "I don't know why, but I can't seem to access Starscream's processor when I need to – only when it kicks in by itself."

"That proves that you _can_ access it. You just have to learn how to do it all the time." – Thundercracker was disappointed by Optimus's lack of results during the first attempt to fly, but he was willing to encourage him to practice more. Skywarp on the other servo was quite frustrated and pouting. It was sad to see Starscream's frame completely unable to fly straight, but at least it hammered home the fact that he was, after all and despite of the appearance _not_ Starscream. Which made the black Seeker think of another idea…

_::TC, should we give him back the Matrix?::_

_::It would change him again… but maybe for the better. I guess we should.::_

_::It is his.::_

"Optimus, we must tell you something."

"I hope it is not about my flying." – the attempt at joking was not a good idea, he saw immediately; both Seekers stayed serious and from Skywarp that was telling.

"No. It is about the Matrix."

"What about it?" – he had resigned himself to never see it again long ago.

"We have it here… 'Warp stole it from Megatron when we left."

"I see… and what is your intention with it?"

"Well… nothing was really, at least until now. But we have just decided to give it back to you. After all, it rightfully belongs to you…" – Thundercracker paused a bit, hesitating how to continue - "but we don't know what it would cause you in this frame."

"I'm not sure of that either… it is supposed to enhance the bearer's frame."

"Well… try it if you want to.."

The whole situation started to become surreal for Optimus. Here they stood, calmly discussing the most sacred relic of their kind, like it was a simple mod, the Seekers almost foisting it to him to try… and he was apprehensive too. He remembered the pain of the transforming process twice over; once when he became a Prime and last when he stopped being one. He had experienced quite a lot of pain recently to not look forward to some more… but then he realized that it was cowardly, it was trying to avoid responsibility, that if the Matrix hasn't chosen anyone else, then it was still his job to bear it and… lead, probably. Because that's what Primes do. He should lead and lead better than before.

Being in a flier frame had a purpose too – if only he kept in mind what he learned from Starscream's memories, he could be a better Prime, more able to see even the Decepticon point of view. In the future, if what Thundercracker proposed was done, he'd need that knowledge, that insight, to hold together the two groups even after the necessity of cooperation has passed. Skywarp came back to the room, holding out the shimmering metal of the Matrix, like it was just a common wrench to fix something. Optimus lay on a couch and warned them.

"Don't interfere, whatever happens. Once it starts, it is out of our servos, whether it kills me or transforms me into…" - he shrugged – "something."

He took the relic from the purple hands and before he could rethink his decision, lifted it to his chest and opened his plates.

The Matrix, as it did the first time, shone with a shimmering, inner fire and grew tendrils of light towards his spark. When they connected, he groaned as the searing light forced his spark chamber open and touched his spark. It did not welcome the intruder back, like he thought it would; deep down, he did consider that the Matrix abandoned him when the Decepticons ambushed them and it gave no warning. The flaring blue light fluctuated around the white tendrils, almost battling them and Optimus moaned again in pain.

The two Seekers decided to move away a few steps to give him plenty of space. Neither of them has ever witnessed a Prime transformation, but it didn't look very peaceful, not with the bright lights that strobed like crazy around his chest area, and his groans of what were unmistakably pain and not pleasure. But the whitish brilliance of the Matrix seemed to slowly sink into his own blue radiance, encompassing the spark like before. When it did and the spark chamber shut close, cutting of the light spectacle, his whole frame started to shine with an inner light.

His colours became blindingly bright before shading into a slightly darker, golden edged version of their former self. The legs visibly strengthened, the armor protecting them became thicker, stronger. The torso hardly changed, only the golden cockpit turned and hid underneath a solid, heavy piece of armor that grew over to protect it. The wings changed only slightly, becoming sturdier and somewhat smaller. The two Seekers watched the transformation with avid interest as Optimus Prime stood up again. He looked still like Starscream, only a less slender looking one, with the golden stripes that gave him a more majestic appearance; and the wings that strangely, suddenly looked like truly belonging to him.

Behind them a cold sob echoed from the empty air, like Starscream mourning his frame.


	8. Trine

**Warning**: supernatural, suggestion of slash

* * *

**Trine**

* * *

**Relic**

The Matrix wasn't intelligent, or even aware in a sense that Cybertronians or even Humans were. It certainly wasn't alive – or even dead for that matter. Holy relics of Gods – the real ones - tend to exist outside the standard categories and defy any attempt to describe them by mere mortals. The Matrix wasn't an exception from this, and so not even Optimus, as a long time bearer of it, fully understood its workings. He knew that it occasionally spoke, whispered or suggested, sometimes influenced or nudged him in attempts that had the feel of his ancestors in it, like the previous Primes somehow lived on in it and tried to help him. Most of the times it wasn't clear, wasn't terribly useful, and sometimes he thought that the relic mocked him or its suggestions were downright bad. Though, usually those were disproved in retrospect.

Still, the Matrix was capable of acting on its host more than just make its frame more durable and suitable to be the Prime and carry It around safely. It rarely did, because there was rarely a need for it; but when it sensed the broken mate bond in its host spark, it knew that something had to be done with it. Optimus could hide his mental pain and anguish from any onlookers, as he had lots of practice in doing it - but not from the Matrix, not from the inside of his spark. For it, the bleeding wound on the spark and the mental scars connected to both the loss of his bondmate and Megatron's treatment of him spoke out like a clear admission.

It would have been all too easy to seal the wound, make Optimus forget and smooth the scars away – the Matrix didn't think in a way mechs do, but it did have a decision-making process of its own and it had a few branches of avenues it could go down on. It rarely chose the easy way, much to the occasional chagrin of its bearer, because the easy way is usually the one offering the least wisdom to draw from. So, the Matrix decided to go on a different road, one that promised more problems ahead – but also greater rewards…

Optimus was also getting used to the Matrix's presence again, and the completely new feelings that came from his frame since the transformation. Gone was the uncomfortable and awkward stumbling on the thrusters, the wings' movements felt natural and familiar, the attention-clamoring flight systems and sensors were suddenly making sense. Stretching his wings luxuriously – and it was telling in itself to call them '_his wings_' for the first time – he saw the other two Seeker's instinctive reaction to it in a way he never before caught it. The wings on Thundercracker's back cautiously perked upwards, quivering minutely in a small, hesitant hope, while the black wings of Skywarp twitched much stronger, more forward, open, happy and optimistic. He caught all the tiny details of their emotions like he read their wings in all his life.

But it wasn't all. He felt that the Matrix hasn't finished with him, that there was still something that had to be done. When the Matrix probed the wound of the broken bond for a klik Optimus hoped that it would seal and heal it, like it could with a physical injury. But the expected numbness and relief didn't come. Instead he felt the bond flare to life, like his mate on the other end came back from death… _no it is not possible_, he thought, _Ironhide is dead and not even Starscream could return from that_… But in a klik he felt that it wasn't Ironhide at all. The feel of the open bond was completely different, in fact it wasn't just a single connection…

Optimus lifted his disbelief-widened optics to the Seekers standing in front of him and they met similarly shocked ones. Three sets of wings flared in different degrees of surprise, elation with not a little fear and bemused shock colouring it. Three sets of optics stared at each other like they never saw the others before. Optimus vented nervously and with great self-control repressed the urge to curse the sacred relic to the nether Pit.

* * *

**Trine**

Thundercracker watched the Prime transformation with interested, slightly apprehensive, but uninvolved optics. He had hoped that the Prime would be able to lead them in Starscream's frame, with the Seeker's experiences and memories – but the first, abysmal results at flying shook his hopes up quite a bit. The Seekers would never follow anyone who could not fly, no matter what colours his frame was. They were both traditionalists and pragmatists enough for that; how could a non-flier or a bad flier lead, when they only ever followed the best?

The Winglords, despite of what the grounders thought, were chosen and not from any royal line; that most of them came from the same clan was neither an accident nor preordained. The fastest fliers, the best strategists, the most original thinkers were chosen for the role and those in the Star Clan had always mated among themselves to concentrate those traits – with an occasional, carefully selected outsider to keep the line strong. It worked for them and for Vos in general for billions of vorns, while the outsiders thought that they were a sort of a Royal Family and that they had an elaborate system of inheritance within it. The Seekers never thought it necessary to disprove the rumours – let the grounders believe what they wanted.

But it also meant an unexpected consequence, one that grounders haven't counted with; that Seekers always had a Winglord as long as there were enough Trines to choose one. Since Starscream's death was now more or less confirmed – he could not do anything with a ghost-idea really – they would soon feel the urge to decide who would be the next one. And the Prime in a Seeker frame could have been a major candidate – had he been able to fly well, fight well and turn the Seekers to his side. He certainly qualified to two out of those three… and if the Matrix turned out to make him able to fly, then he might still make a good Winglord.

Not that it would make them forget Starscream, not with the broken Trine bond still fresh in their sparks. It would only heal slightly with time and revenge exacted for the deed, neither of which was possible soon. The twinge of deep-set pain reverberated in their bond and Thundercracker knew that Skywarp was entertaining similar thoughts beside him. He might not have been a thinker, but the black jet had excellent Seeker instincts, honed to perfection by his Clan, who preferred spontaneous reactions instead of planning. It was just as needed in the Trine as Starscream's lightning-fast mind and his own steady calm and rock-solid determination.

To find a third to such an established, old Trine was almost unheard of and they both knew it. Only an exceptional youngster could fit in by conforming to both of them; but their jaded and bitter experiences would not stand a naïve young flier. To find Starscream and lose him again was almost unbearable; to see that he would never again complete the trine, despite of being around in a fashion, that would never reconnect the bond again was painful on levels Thundercracker didn't even know he had. But he could settle with a Seeker Prime, the blue flier consoled himself; with him they could set things right, lead them to get revenge for Star… and he didn't want to think beyond that.

A servo sneaked towards his and purple digits entwined into his own black ones. Skywarp was feeling the broken bond too as it throbbed painfully, suddenly flaring into an almost-agony. _Why_, his ever-questioning mind wondered, _why does it hurt just now_? The Prime was fully transformed, Starscream's frame changed just enough to be still recognizable, but unmistakably a Prime, regal, imposing, strong but agile. _Star would have liked the look_, the thought came unbidden, _it only lacks a crown_. He stood up, now standing slightly taller than the both of them, the red optics watching them shaded just slightly towards purple, the bright colours of his frame darkened slightly now and edged in gold.

Those regal optics widened suddenly and the wings flared behind in a surprise-tinged elation. His own reacted that way too and he heard Skywarp's shocked gasp from beside. The Trine bond flared again, only this time not with the pain of the wound, but the joy of the reknit connection. _Impossible. Flat out impossible_, his mind repeated stupidly, but there it was. It… HE even felt like Stars, only with someone else also there, a presence that should have been a stranger but miraculously wasn't and almost despite of his will he felt the bond cautiously open up fully – _Warp's doing_, he thought dazedly, there is that for the instinctive actions he was famous for – and the three of them started to taste each other's essence again in the warm feeling of the once-again whole bond as the pain lifted away like it was never there.

It was madness, they never wanted to bond with a stranger, a Prime, an Autobot… he so wasn't Starscream, whom they wanted… where was Starscream, his ghost, how did it feel like to him…?

_::It wasn't my idea either…"::_ - came the answer through the bond, tinged with sadness and a bitter edge, but the voice and the presence behind strong, calm and kind… the Prime.

_::Then how… who…?::_

_::The Matrix I guess. We all had a broken bond and it apparently decided that we can better get by together…" _– a faint grimace on the blue face, not quite Star's sneer, but expressing an almost distaste and the blue Seeker was getting annoyed, despite of the shock – were they not good enough for this Seeker-turned-Prime? - _::Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against you… but the whole idea is…::_

_::logical..?.::_

Thundercracker tried to remember when, if he ever heard Skywarp saying that word in all seriousness. He felt a faint amusement answering him from… from Optimus. It was weird. No, it was way beyond weird.

_::Not the word I'd have chosen… it might be logical, but the Matrix still presumed too much.::_

_::Well, I don't mind. You are not Stars… but in a way you are. You feel like him….:: _- that was of course Skywarp but Thundercracker couldn't deny either that Optimus did feel scarily like Starscream in the bond. Probably the reason why Skywarp accepted it so fast. For the black Seeker feelings were just as much deciding factors as facts were for Thundercracker.

_::That's strange, because to me you feel like Ironhide, even though you are completely different. Whatever the Matrix did, it is seriously queer.::_

A servo lifts hesitantly, to touch white wings, to ascertain that they are real, that they are the one in the bond. A purple servo, Skywarp's is the first; between the two thinkers he is the instigator of action, making them face the situation as final, forcing them to accept it and accept each other. He doesn't want to forget Starscream, no, he will never forget him. But Optimus is there, in the Trine bond, in the mate bond and Skywarp doesn't question it. It is not what he would have wanted, but it is what is. The wing twitches nervously at the touch and his servo freezes; through the bond a vary fear comes and he looks at the purplish optics questioningly, a bit hurt.

_::What is it…? Don't you want us?::_

The emotion that came through the bond was that of embarrassment, humiliation, fear…

_::It is not you… but to me it was just a few orns ago when Megatron…::_ - he broke off, but he didn't need to continue. The two Seekers understood. They both remembered the times when Starscream was vary of any touches, be them from his Trine-mates or anyone else. The bond conveys a soothing acceptance that Thundercracker never thought to feel again. It was familiar. Not just the presence, but the situation as well. It helped him to accept what was impossible, but what the Matrix made reality. Unwanted, unexpected, shocking… but still it was a fact that he had to accept.

The three Seekers stood in the empty room for a while still, tasting slowly the renewed bond, the regained mate, talking softly through the bond and aloud – and at the same time exploring the new and unknown. Optimus had a little advantage of being able to see Starscream's memories, while the other two had each other to draw strength from. It still wasn't easy to get over the awkwardness and the strange feeling of being thrown together unexpectedly and having to get along forever, in a bond that made them mates, closer than any other mech. It would still take some orns before Optimus was ready to fully accept what the mate-bond with the two Seekers meant.

Unbeknownst to them, a white shuttle watched them from the doorway, half brooding, half envious. They regained each other but he lost Starscream for good – even in the Seeker's frame, Optimus Prime was not what he longed for. Not ever, never again. Gone was the naïve Seeker, the would-be lover, the make-believe enemy – and now gone was the hope for a new-found friend as well. They could never make up now and be friends and colleagues, if nothing else. With drooping wings Skyfire turned away to leave the three of them to their newfound bond. As he left the room though, a servo touched his left wing, cold claws stroking over gently the warm metal expanse. Skyfire looked up and around, not even able to guess which Seeker it could be who comforted him so… but there was nobody around.

* * *

**Seekers**

The next orn brought much commotion as the Seekers came out of recharge and realized what transpired during the night cycle. They stared at Optimus Prime with wide optics and fluttering wings and every now and then a servo would touch a golden stripe on a wing or elsewhere – it freaked him out seriously, although he tried his best to hide the reaction. It wasn't as bad as the previous orn but he still had to fight down nauseating memories at every touch. That he looked different from the previous orn's appearance was obvious even for those who knew nothing, and their base coding reacted to both the Matrix and its bearer as well as to the one who used to be their Winglord - and could be it again.

Some of them accepted what their base coding said without questioning; to most average Seekers the feeling of authority and power was enough to accept him, especially when they saw Thundercracker and Skywarp beside him in the traditional positions of a Trine. That took some explanations and not a little confusion either, but in the end they mostly accepted him to be the Prime and in a way a Seeker too. Most… but not all. The Conehead have always been trying to challenge the Elite Trine for supremacy; their presumptuousness has always been stronger than their ability to judge their worth objectively and lately they fully believed that they could be better than the broken Trine that comprised of TC and Skywarp only. Seeing them together with Starscream again and being told that he was their Prime too, their never strong patience broke suddenly.

"He is no Seeker! How can you two accept him?" – Ramjet scowled at the Trine and glanced at his own mates for support – "I saw Skywarp porting him away yesterorn, because he can't even fly!"

::_It is a challenge_…:: - came Thundercracker's voice through the Trine bond - ::_You must answer him, disprove him or even fight_.::

::_That's what my memories tell me_:: - Optimus Prime answered. - ::_I've expected a challenge from someone sooner or later._::

"I am as good a Seeker as any of you." – he stated aloud, flaring his wings high and out in a blatant display of power and authority that no mech present could misunderstand. – "and I stand ready to prove it to any who wishes to challenge me."

"I do!" – Ramjet was almost frantic to convince the other Seekers of his own worthiness and Optimus's bluff. – "I will smash your lies in the air so you won't be deceiving us any more!"

The two Trines stood face to face, Skywarp scowling quietly, not wanting to presume towards Optimus but hating Ramjet for his boastfulness all the same. But he restrained himself more or less and only let his wings signal some rude insults towards the Coneheads. Thundercracker was calmer, far less bothered by the challenge that he saw covertly or more openly over the vorns from the always eager Coneheads, but less sure of Optimus Prime's newfound self-confidence. But he still provoked them with a few wing-signs, complementing Skywarp's own ones in the eons old tradition of the Trine challenges.

Because, for all that Ramjet issued the challenge towards Optimus Prime, he meant the three of them this time; had he failed the Conehead would be eligible to vote them down from the leader position and their fellow Seekers would either do just that or someone would challenge them in turn. Power-play has never been far from Seeker minds. The blue Seeker saw the signs of it on Sunstorm too – the clone would never challenge either Starscream or the Prime, but the twitching of his claws and the stare that he nailed onto Ramjet signified a lot. His Trine of course backed the self-appointed priest of Primus up and thereby more or less sided themselves with the Prime.

"Sunstorm, would you mind officiating – if Ramjet has no objection?"

He didn't have any, so Sunstorm led them all out to the rocky surface of the moon, while Thundercracker quickly appraised Optimus Prime on the particulars of the aerial challenge. He knew of course that the Prime could get it from Starscream's memory banks, but he preferred to tell it to him anyway and the imposing new Seeker didn't object. Out here was even more visible just how much bigger he became – the blue Seeker was not the largest one in their Trine any more and it did feel strange.

Ramjet jumped into the thin air of the moon first, transforming and waggling his wings quite rudely as he passed Optimus Prime. Most of the optics were on him as he executed a standing jump perfectly, in mid-air folding neatly into the well-known lines of Starscream. Thundercracker let go of a small vent that he hadn't even realized of holding – the confident, smooth motions were a far cry from the previous orn's stumbling steps. He felt Skywarp's relief as well, that the black Seeker showed outwardly with a sound that Thundercracker tentatively identified as a 'wolf-whistle' – and hoped that the other Seekers didn't get the reference.

* * *

**Flight**

Optimus Prime flew after the blueish jet as he reviewed the particulars and the must-observe traditions of the dominance flight. He must not kill the other jet – not that he wanted to do it anyway – or maim him seriously; only force him to land at any way he could. But first they both had to display their finesse, their speed, maneuverability and skills to the onlookers in a dogfight that was weaponless and more of a show than a real battle. A curious mix of brutal simplicity and complex traditions, in themselves quite far from the much gentler customs of the grounder culture he was more familiar with.

It was surprisingly easy now to fly, natural in a way he never would have thought it to become. Whatever the Matrix did it totally integrated the flight systems into his thought process and made the wings as much an integral part of him as the wheels used to be. Of course he lacked experience and it wouldn't come as easily or fast as the miracle of the Matrix – but if needed he could always draw on Starscream's memories and he had a lot of those both about Ramjet and of aerial battles in general.

The other jet turned back sharply to try and scare the supposedly inexperienced Seeker with a dangerously close pass – but he answered with a disdaining move, hardly changing the angle the necessary few degrees to let Ramjet pass him safely close while he flew on without a wibble. He did an aileron roll to tell the other indirectly what he thought of such sparkling-ish flying and laughed inwards as the other turned and started to follow him with more effort and even more anger put into it. It was almost easy he though as he avoided the blueish jet, countering his maneuvers and upping his showing off with maneuvers of his own.

Soon he recognized the other's style and favourite moves, filing it away as his own first experiences in flying, casually comparing them with Starscream's memories as they continued to fly over the moon's surface and the other Seekers. Only Sunstorm was in the air to check for foul play, but he stayed far and high enough not to disturb them in any way. Optimus Prime choose harder and harder turns and loops and soon took over the active role from Ramjet, forcing him to try and escape from his almost constant target lock.

Neither of them was allowed to or even wanted to fire during the challenge of course, but target lock was a good way of showing the other superiority and making him the one to try and extricate himself from the defending position. Ramjet didn't take it well and soon started to show signs of impatience and anger – he was being bested in speed and maneuvers and if he didn't do something soon, he would lose.

By this time it was clear to him that Optimus Prime, no matter how much a grounder he used to be, retained every bit of Starscream's speed, maneuverability and cunning. Still, he was determined to try to find an opening that would let him exploit the other's supposed inexperience. Pushing himself to the limit and sometimes over it, he led them into a scenario where he could put his designation ability into use. Ramming was technically within the rules and the Prime would probably not expect it and Ramjet snickered inwardly even as he strained his engines.

When their twisted flight-paths took them into the planned position, he acted. His reinforced, designed for the job nosecone impacted to the white chassis just to the side of the cockpit, hoping to knock the Prime out at least from his path but hopefully from the air altogether. He was prepared to do the follow-up maneuvers as well, but it never happened – the impact impossibly didn't hurt the tricoloured Seeker at all, didn't even put a dent into his flight-path - only Ramjet felt dazed by it, shaken up and stalling unexpectedly.

It wasn't supposed to work like this, was his only thought as he fell uncontrollably, trying desperately to find a vector, some thrust, anything to pull him out of the impromptu dive. He was the one designed for impacts, Starscream's plating shouldn't have been able to take the force of it and remain in flight. But his sensors informed him that the bigger jet was turning and twisting back, closing in on him from above and forcing him lower by not letting him regain his equilibrium.

He couldn't escape any more, the other had the size, momentum and force to his advantage and Ramjet could only concentrate on not crashing too hard at the end. Optimus easily cooperated in this effort, while not letting him escape, and when he finally reached the rocky surface, it was a fairly controlled crash – almost a hard landing, he though still dazed. He could take such a crash any day, only worrying about the wings like any Seeker, but they only sported a few dents that would mean nothing.

There was no question about the winner of the challenge, not even Sunstorm was needed to pronounce it. All the Seekers present saw Optimus Prime's proficient moves in the air, reminiscent of Starscream's agile and cunning style, but more forceful as his bigger frame and stronger plating allowed it to him. He was truly a Seeker and a fine one at that, an aerial commander that could and would lead them to battle.

"I concede the win to you." – Ramjet was still half dazed that any Seeker could have stronger plating than himself and half resentful of the ex-grounder who bested him in the air, be him a Prime or not. But he lost fair and square and even he couldn't deny it.

Optimus Prime nodded to the other Seeker, hitched up his wings and looked over the rest of them. Fortunately no other mech showed any willingness for another challenge – it was exhilarating to the point of almost a rousing charge in his circuits but he had hoped that the Seekers would accept him not only on flying merit but logic and persuasion as well. Apparently the first part was well on its way if the praising looks and signals were any indication.

Thundercracker stood happily at Optimus Prime's side, all doubts dispelled from his processors, basking in the appraisal of the other Seekers. Skywarp, true to his nature welcomed him back with a congratulatory dipping of his black wings, but added a highly suggestive flicker to it as well – one that made the Prime's field react in a shocked, arousal-tinted flare. He was visibly worked up after the exercise and Skywarp of course did remember how much Starscream loved to interface after challenging flights and hard won battles.

* * *

**Friends**

Skyfire didn't follow the Seekers out, as he had a more pressing concern than watch them play their dominance games. Presently he hardly even cared about Optimus Prime either – a fact that some vorns ago would have sent him spiraling into an embarrassed concern about his own loyalty, but which now he could simply put away for later deliberation. He wanted to feel that touch again and discover what and who it was. Not to mention how. Not that he had any doubts really to the identity, only the scientist's natural reticence towards something so much unexplainable and illogical.

"Starscream, is it really you?" – Still, he felt stupid to whisper to himself, looking around, trying to find the source of the icy touch that he was sure that he felt on his wing. – "Optimus Prime said that he felt and heard you around. A ghost he said… can you hear me? Can you answer?"

He felt the touch on his wing again, a queer, cold pressure there, ghosts of sharp claws that slowly slid from the middle of his wing down and slightly out towards the edge – exactly where the smaller Seeker could comfortably reach him. If it wasn't so terrifying, it would even have been familiar; the casual, friendly caress that the long-long ago gone scientist-colleague teased him with after a hard day in the Academy.

"Starscream…" – he whispered and the touch answered again. But the blunt digits of his questing servos didn't bump into the sharp talons that should have been there, he was grasping empty air only. A cold, sad snort echoed into his audial and the touch changed place suddenly, rapping on his cockpit imperiously first then the unseen claws shrieking noiselessly on the glass as they slid down. The chuckle silenced and a sad, little sigh punctuated the quiet scratch that the talons made.

Skyfire felt the cold of the touch, the swish of air as the ghost moved and finally a tingling sensation in his circuits. _I can't talk, I can't touch, I can't be there for you any more_. The thoughts came from nowhere. _I can't even stay like this for long_. But they were unmistakably Starscream's. _I can't go back_. Skyfire held himself completely still, so as not to accidentally dislodge the Seeker's ghost who somehow found a tenuous connection to his meta. _I'm nothing now_. "No, you are still my Star!" – he spoke aloud, not knowing how much could the apparition sense of his thoughts. _I'm nothing_. It repeated, the cold and the sadness permeating the shuttle's whole being until he shuddered.

_I have nowhere to go back, nowhere to go forward_. The thought had a slightly fuzzy, dissolving quality to it. _I can't hold it together enough_. He was starting to loose the connection. _Only near my own frame._ "You can always come back to me." – he answered quietly, afraid that the sharp-glossaed Seeker would hold him mushy for it but wanting him to know that it was true. _I know._ The faintest whisper in his mind answered. _Thank you_.

The frighteningly familiar presence left the shuttle's circuits and no matter how glad he was to hear Starscream's thought-voice inside, he was still freaked out at the method of it. He didn't know what to do or how he could handle a ghost, even if it was definitely Starscream. No, he thought to himself, he could do one thing. He was a scientist, he could approach it from that angle. A hopeful strand of thought sneaked through him as it left. _Do that, please_ – the parting touch seemed to encourage him – _I can't._

* * *

Note: Strangely enough I wasn't sure who is the Trine-leader of the Coneheads. I went with Ramjet mostly on a guess._  
_


	9. Ghost

**Note**: _Italics_ - character's own thoughts

* * *

**Chapter 9. Ghost**

* * *

**Slaves and opportunities**

Jazz came back to the barracks strangely satisfied, smirking like he used to do long ago, after a well-done prank or being able to trick Prowl. It was noticed straight away – the slaves, the former Autobots had little reason to be happy these days. True, their fate could have been worse than what it became under the Decepticons' rule, but it was no walk in the park either. Being slaves did chafe their processors, especially the more rowdy and outspoken ones, like the twins, Cliffjumper or interestingly, Tracks.

Fortunately, they learned that they could speak quite freely in their barracks, as the Decepticons never bothered to listen to the chatter of their slaves. They trusted Starscream's coding ability, therefore they trusted the slave codes to keep the former Autobots safe and unable to rebel. It meant that they could discuss many things that came up, some that they shouldn't even know about.

"What is it Jazz? Something happened I'm sure." – Prowl changed a lot since he couldn't access to his battle computer. He was still logical and precise, but no mech could call him emotionless any more. – "You look like Sideswipe after a prank."

"Because Ah did make a prank, Prowler, on the Cons." – Jazz looked almost smug.

"How?" – of course Sideswipe was interested. He found that playing pranks required things that formerly he took for granted, like easy access to paints, glue or other various other substances and materials. Without these accessories his life was far more boring and he became a bit more like his twin; irritated and angry at not be able to channel his energy into anything really. Picking fights became the only pastime the twins were able to do, much to the chagrin of their colleagues.

"Ohh… let's just say that Ah convinced the production line ta make bolts in a slightly increased speed and spit them out with a tad bit more force than usual." – the former saboteur looked immensely pleased with himself. – "The Cons had somewhat of a problem getting close ta the machine."

It was probably the understatement of the vorn. The production machine was producing at a thousand bolts per breem rate after Jazz's deft manipulations and spat them into every direction, with the speed equivalent of a bullet-shot. It took out two Cons who came to check on the situation straight away and managed to damage many more who came after. Of course the forced speed heated up the machine too, and before they could stop it, it exploded into billions of shrapnel, consisting of half-melted, sharp slivers of the machine itself and twisted, white-hot bolts. Jazz relayed the events to the Autobots with great satisfaction and painstaking detail.

"You didn't even get punished?" – Sideswipe was envious.

"Nope." – Jazz flashed a happy grin at the former frontliner. – "That idiot, Dead End had ordered me ta increase the output of the production. Ah just obeyed. Took off all the safeties and somesuch an' nudged the machine a bit."

They smiled and laughed at that, such a good mood a rare visitor among them. It was good to hear a story in which they got back in however small manner to their masters.

"In fact he got a few blows from old Buckethead and Ah'm sure from that sadist truck, his gestalt leader too."

"Ouch, Megatron got called there too? None of us have seen him for a vorn or so."

"Yeah, well… that was intentional." – Jazz got serious suddenly and unconsciously started to speak more quietly – "Ah wanted them ta gather there, because Ah saw something interesting."

"What did you see?" – more and more of the resting Autobots gathered around them, eager to hear something that could break the monotony of their lives.

"Seekers."

"Seekers? So what?" – Cliffjumper has never been the sharpest of mechs.

"Don't ya remember? They left when old Buckethead deactivated Starscream. All of them. Now, why could they return?"

"Why?"

"Starscream's trine-mates swore revenge. You can say a lot of things about ole Screamer, but he was important and the fliers were all loyal to him."

"I thought they hated him…?"

"It's complicated…" – Silverbolt felt it was needed to interrupt, to explain. – "Starscream was Winglord and Air Commander. No matter that some of them chafed at that but they all owed loyalty to him. It is different to challenge the Air Commander in a duel – or have him killed by an outsider, a grounder. In the latter case, they'd have to avenge him before a new Winglord can be chosen."

"Wow… how do you know so much about them?" – Trailbreaker was surprised by the Aerialbot leader – "I thought you lot weren't Seekers."

"We still aren't… but we were allowed to fly with their supervision. We did talk sometimes." – Silverbolt didn't mention that they got almost friendly with some of the Seekers before they left; the Aerialbots were considered suspicious by many just because they were fliers and he didn't want mechs like Cliffjumper to have even more reason for picking on them.

"Ah see. Good to know anyway." – Jazz was glad to have that bit cleared, because it was a bit hazy for him too. – "Anyway, so Ah saw three Seekers sneaking towards the town center and because, they did fail terribly in it – Pit, Seekers are just not made ta hide effectively – Ah decided ta make some diversion ta help them."

"But why? Why did you help them?" – Cliffjumper just didn't get it.

"Because they're enemies of the Cons now."

"Do you think we could use their quarrel ourselves somehow?" – Prowl didn't need a battle computer to think logically. He could see the opportunity straight away.

"Ah think so, yes. You see Ah've made some advance with the codes too and if it comes ta open war between them, we can be a third force that they don't expect."

"But we hardly see or hear anything that happens…"

"True… because so far we haven't tried ta. Right?" – Jazz was right, so far most of them were apathetic enough not to be interested about the Decepticons' matters. – "But if we try, we can gather some info, it is not like they are as strict as they were at first."

"Yeah… the Stunties are dumb enough to drop some information if we ask cleverly."

"That would be a job for you, Prowler." – Jazz was smiling at the scowling Prowl, sharing the smile with many of the gathered Autobots. Prowl abhorred the idiotic and stupid Stunticons with a strong antipathy. – "Now, we all know that you can run mental circles around them even now. You must try."

No matter how much Prowl disliked the idea, he knew that Jazz was right and the Stunticons were their best source of information. At least since the dumber Seekers were gone and so Silverbolt couldn't bring as much news as before.

"Right, I'll do it…"

"Ah knew Prowler that you'd accept…" – Jazz enjoyed teasing the tactician since he was more vulnerable to it without his battle computer. – "But every other mech should try ta gather any info too. When the time comes we should be ready ta act."

It gave them all a little hope. Not much, not a strong one, but still hope.

* * *

**Despair and a friend**

_Nonononono_… had he been able to, Starscream would have screamed aloud in pain and grief as he saw the scene unfolding in front of his unseen optics. He thought the Matrix integrating Optimus with his frame was the last straw but apparently he had even more to lose too. Fragging Megatron took away everything he created and worked for, the Decepticon Empire that was far more _his_ that that of the slagging drunken afthead. The tyrant took his life, after millenias of staying alive by being able to cling to it with everything he had – that he held on to it stubbornly even after deactivation, remaining a ghost to haunt them all was totally unexpected, even to him.

Then they put Optimus into his frame, taking just one more thing away from him – unknowingly, unintentionally, but Starscream was not above of holding it against them too, while he tried and tried again, but always failed to reverse the process and come back to life again. The Matrix taking it over and fusing Optimus with it irreversibly was a great blow to him as the scientist in him knew that going against what the Primus-damned relic was accomplishing would be quite impossible. He had mourned his frame and with it the chance to live again – but the blows against his resolve to stick around didn't even stop there.

The fragger took his Trine too. Starscream stared with disbelief as the three of them looked at each other, discovered what the Matrix has done and his unheard scream rose to the heavens as Skywarp slowly touched a servo on the gold-edged white wing – _his wing!_ - initiating contact, opening up the newly formed bond. Starscream for the first time in his existence felt so utterly alone as only a trineless Seeker could. They've abandoned him. They've forgotten him. They've replaced him! There came one who was not even an acquaintance for them, only a total stranger, a former grounder, a former enemy, a Prime from the brood they should've never trusted at the first place… and they accepted him in the bond like he belonged there.

Starscream couldn't move. He was bound to be near his frame, his trine – _not my trine any more…_ – to continue existing. He had to watch everything that he considered his, taken from him and be unable to do anything about it. He'd have to watch it for an eternity… Starscream's thoughts stopped and his shadow-vents hiccupped in distress, his vocalizer clicking forlornly in desperate angst. Was it worth staying here? Was it worth keeping this ghostly being together? Was it worth seeing how fast he was forgotten, how easily the other two got over his absence? Was it worth be totally alone, useless and wallowing in his own unending misery?

He tore his optics away from the threesome as they started to rediscover each other's frames. He couldn't watch it any more. Even his insubstantial being started to dissolve as he contemplated giving up and pass away to the Well or the Pit – whichever would have him. Forever alone, forgotten and replaced – it was not something he particularly wanted to observe for the rest of his existence. Starscream glided slowly backwards, feeling the sustaining warmth of his frame lessen with the distance, claws clenching in a tiny, wishful motion. His Trine-mates – _former trine-mates_ – were hardly perceivable now that their bond latched onto the other, the impostor, the Prime that Starscream hated now with all his being. But this hatred didn't fuel his ghost, and there were very few ties still that linked him to the world and those too were getting weaker as he gave up maintaining them one-sided.

The physical world started to get fuzzy and indistinct, the noises just a low murmur in his audials. He turned instinctly to face with whatever new place awaited him beyond this one, a symbolic movement to tear him from the ones whom he'd held dear. But instead of reality blinking out, he felt one connection that still glowed dimly flare up with sadness and sorrow. Whoever was still thinking of him, Starscream didn't know, but his spark, or what he thought was his spark grasped on it like a drowning mech grabs the lifeline. It pulled him back from the otherworld that he was half gone to and back into this… and Starscream groaned in frustration. _Why now, what now, who now?_

Then he saw the big white shape in front of him and his audials picked up his whisper – _Starscream…?_ – and his aching claws extended to touch him. He was real, the warm metal of the sturdy wing familiar under his questing, ice-cold servo, the big, blunt digits that looked for his own sharp claws stubbornly even as they knew it to be futile. There was still one mech who was not ready to let him go. No matter how many times he ridiculed the calm, brooding shuttle for being loyal, for not wanting to give up on him, to get over him, no matter that he left him, sent him away, even shot him in anger – but Skyfire persevered like he always did. And now that he was left and forgotten by everyone else, it was humbling to see that he still steadfastly held on and was there for the distraught Seeker-ghost.

The world became clear again as he focused on Skyfire, his disturbed, sorrowful but hoping expression and the sparkpulse that just reached out for him - and Starscream pulled himself together again. He had left and pushed away Skyfire often enough but he wouldn't do it now without a final word – not if he could help it anyway. His talons slid over the glass of the cockpit, easily immersing their immaterial substance into the warm glass, towards the warmth of the spark. He drew closer, feeling the uneasy shifting of the big shuttle, stopped for fear of frightening him away, but the blunt digits that closed over his unseen claws encouraged him again.

He merged into his circuits, like he had done with his own frame and the connection between them opened up slightly. He felt the duality of the ghostly body and the real frame around him and tried to speak to him directly. _I can't talk, I can't touch, I can't be there for you any more_. Trying to convey his sadness, the finality of the parting that they had to do one more time. But Skyfire was having none of it. His consciousness latched onto the intruder and made him welcome. Made him feel welcomed and not forgotten, not dismissed or replaced, but wanted and loved. _You are still my Star._ - he thought and Starscream heard the thought as well as the utterance aloud and an emotion surged up in him. Thankfulness and something warm and fuzzy that he hadn't felt since his youngling-age, momentarily outweighing his despair.

But his sorrow and giving up must have leached back into the circuits soon, because Skyfire looked up sharply and almost snapped at him. _Don't you dare to let go _- but he felt the answering hopelessness. He has never seen Starscream this despondent, this utterly disillusioned, but when he glanced to the happily snuggling Trine just a room away, he could somehow understand. The Seeker did loose everything that still meant something to him. "You can always come back to me." - he whispered and Starscream choked on his own emotions before he could react. _I know_. _Thank you_.

But it didn't make him any more wanting to stick around. For what? Cold touches and uneasily shivering plates under his ghostly claws? Watching his Trine getting it on? He felt immensely grateful for Skyfire for simply being there after all that he heaped on him and he even felt the rekindling of the fire between them, but all in all it just made everything so much worse. Fraggitall he was ready to let go. Yes, it was proper and fair to give his thanks and goodbye to Skyfire but he didn't want the shuttle's emotions to bind him to this world again for nothing.

_We can find a way_ - came the thought that Skyfire didn't say aloud – _For you_. A tiny, tenuous strand of bright pink hope appeared in the tapestry of their connected minds. It was as fragile as it was indistinct; the scientist in both of them hardly even accepted the existence of ghosts despite of the evidence, much less had any idea of what to do to bring one back to life. But stubborn sparks refused to think that way. _Do that please_. He would stick around for that. Skyfire never made a promise he didn't intend to keep.

_You can help._ The shuttle whispered aloud as he felt the cold presence leaving – Starscream couldn't maintain even this tenuous connection for long. _Perceptor. Ratchet. Wheeljack. You can free them, like you did with Optimus._ And it was true. He could do that, he had always known. He just didn't have any inspiration to help the enslaved Autobots. But Skyfire was right… they could help him. Only why would they work for the Seeker who enslaved them? _Optimus as much as promised it, you know?_

_He took my Trine!_ the ghostly voice moaned with renewed pain. _He didn't mean to. It was the Matrix._ But the connection was gone, they both felt it. Starscream screeched silently in anger that he couldn't even hold onto this, while Skyfire looked sad but determined. He could still talk to the Seeker, even if he couldn't hear the answer.

"The way you can merge with me, you can with a device, to talk. We'll find the way."

Starscream could only hope.

* * *

**Troubled emotions**

The Seekers returned to their little base after the challenge high in spirits. What they saw was conclusive; a mech with Starscream's frame and abilities, coupled with a Prime's presence and essence that they too felt after spending a little time near Optimus. The Matrix, after all was an artifact for all Cybertronians, and no matter that the Seekers always tried to stand apart, it was influencing them too.

A Seeker Prime was something that they never saw before and it awed even the war-weary, hardened, snobbish Seekers. Secretly – or not so secretly sometimes – Seekers have always considered themselves above mere grounders, but since for the highest position on the planet no Seeker has ever been chosen before, they started to disassociate from it and with it, from Primus as their God-Creator too. It was inevitable to turn against Primus and towards Unicron; but at the same time it caused an inner conflict too, as the Seekers as a whole has never believed in the chaos-god.

Seeing Optimus Prime as a Seeker has changed all that jumbled religion-belief-mentality in a space of a few joors. The Matrix has chosen him again and in doing so It choose a Seeker frame. It was enough to change millenias of resentment of the office and accept its bearer as their rightful leader. That he was in the frame of their Winglord was an unexpected bonus, one that many of them still had to come to terms with; Starscream's nature and behaviour of course differed greatly from Optimus's.

"Come…" – Thundercracker called their new Trine-leader to their quarters. It was strange still to see him again, changed but not so much to be a stranger, familiar, but not enough to be the same; hesitant as he knew nothing of their life here, but knowing everything about them from his memory-banks… it was still often awkward. He was an experienced enough leader not to show it outwardly, but inside, he was more nervous than at the first time when the Matrix choose him.

Optimus Prime followed the two Seekers into their rooms, nervous but elated too. Nervous, because physical intimacy was for a long time absent from his life and at it did end an outright rape that still made him shudder sometimes at the memory. Elated, because he felt the thrill of the flight, the challenge, the battle in his circuits and the closeness of his mates just intensified it. Flicking his wings in a manner to signal both the vying emotions to his mates, Optimus was glad to see the still hesitant answer from Thundercracker and the bolder, more suggestive one from Skywarp.

He still found it strange how these little movements were expressing complex emotions and thoughts perfectly – and that he understood them easily, without having to think about them. TC has just shared with him the thought that he was also wary of interfacing, mainly because of Starscream, the ghost being around and resenting it, but understanding his reasons that made Optimus reluctant too. Skywarp at the same time answered with a flippant notion that the ghost should even join in and that they should reinforce the bond anyhow.

All this expressed just with some flicks and jerks of the wing-panels that, as he discovered were quite far from the monolith things, the single wing-panes as he used to imagine them; all parts of the wings moved almost constantly just like the whole thing together. A full sub-processor was dedicated just for these movements that, as he now realized included other parts of the flight equipment too. Seeker frames he saw now with his new optics were in an almost constant notion, creating the outward effect of nervous intensity for grounders who read none of this language.

Once in their quarters, they shared some high grade and caresses on each other's wings, but even Skywarp grew subdued with time, less eager to interface or merge. A melancholic mood settled on them as they started to share stories and tales about Starscream, remembering him, mourning him, praising him in an impromptu wake. He was not around, that much they felt fairly sure; by this time they all have developed an awareness of the ghostly effects, the cold touch, the unexplainable sounds, the hotness in their circuits when he tried to merge with their frames.

It was a complex issue, loosing him but still have him around in a way; feeling the break of the bond, which was reknit later by the Matrix's meddling; have a new trine-leader who was in more than half the old one too. Skywarp had it easiest, because he didn't even try to think it over and search an explanation. He lost Starscream and he mourned him, he'd never forget him and he'd get revenge once he could. That he had a new trine-leader and bondmate was a different issue altogether and that he shared the frame with Starscream made no difference whatsoever. The teleporter never complicated his life needlessly.

Thundercracker and Optimus Prime had it a bit more differently, because they both tended to overthink matters and examine everything from every angle. They also shared the attitude of accepting responsibility and faults for thing even beyond their control or nearly so. They talked well into the night cycle with the exhausted but happy Skywarp curling up between them, enjoying the light touches and petting of his wings in a half-recharging state.

"You know, I've never been to Vos, not even before the war." – Optimus picked up the thread of conversation after he went to refill their cubes. – "But now I have a perfect set of memories about the city. It was truly beautiful… might be even more than Iacon, my home."

"Vos was… not only our home, but our sanctuary too." – Thundercracker was somber now – "The only place we could be what we were born to – fliers, Seekers. When the grounders took it away from us… they imprisoned our soul too. Your predecessors never understood what they've done."

"From Iacon, Seekers seemed to be nothing but trouble. Even when I was just a dockworker, I only heard about scandals and problems with Seekers. Most mech there agreed that if they were so much trouble, then the occupation would do them good, teach them to live peacefully, even if at first some heavy servo was needed to achieve that."

"We were provoked at every turn and when we reacted, it was all advertised as trouble and we were portrayed as belligerent war-machines…" – the blue Seeker was angry, even though he knew that it was the past and Optimus now knew all about it. No mech knew better the atrocities committed against Seekers than Starscream.

"I know that now… it is perhaps too late to make it right or apologise, but at least I do know it now. If we ever manage to rebuild Cybertron, I'll be that much ahead of my predecessors."

"How does it feel to be a Seeker now?" – Thundercracker shook his wings in a genuine curiosity. – "There has never been a case like yours, for a grounder to become a true Seeker…"

"The strangest thing is that it feels… natural. Like I've always been one. I only feel uncomfortable when I see a memory of Starscream, because I know that it is not mine and I know that he is still around. It makes me feel like a… a thief." – The wings trembled in a nervous unease before settling into a new position of enforced calm. – "I never wanted this, any of it. The fact that it is probably irreversible now makes me feel even worse."

"You promised to do whatever you could for him. I can't see how you could do more."

"I can't, I know. It doesn't make it any easier."

"I know what you mean…" – the blue wings drooped slightly while fanning out – "I keep thinking how we could have prevented this. We thought Starscream to be dead when we left, but maybe we could have done something? It was close then and he looked, felt deactivated… but was he really? I just don't know."

"He was dead. Nothing could've brought him back then. Which makes me remember… he gave this trinket to me before you came, to give it to you." – Optimus pulled out the object Starscream gave him in his last kliks and held it out to the blue Seeker – "I completely forgot about it till now."

Thundercracker looked at him like he truly saw a ghost and his servos made no move to take the object from Optimus's one. His wings shuddered once, twice, hard and the anxiety in the bond woke up even Skywarp from his recharge. The black Seeker also noticed the object in question and he too stared at Optimus with complete and utter disbelief. Neither of them moved, aside from the shuddering of the wings.

"What is it…?" – Optimus tried to seek out the answer in his… in Starscream's memory banks. But before he could find it, Thundercracker spoke up in a dreamy voice.

"It was the bonding present we gave him… I never knew he kept it all along."

"I lost mine long ago." – Skywarp dipped his wings in shame – "I thought that he cast his away too when we became distant."

"I told you that it wasn't like what it seemed…" – Thundercracker murmured to the black Seeker.

Optimus Prime found the matter among the memories, but he didn't have the spark to tell Skywarp how much Starscream fretted over this. The teleporter looked miserable enough on his own to learn that while he pushed Starscream away, he still kept this sentimental but deeply meaningful trinket with him all the time. He stroked the trembling wings and sent calm and absolution over the bond. In a way it worked.

* * *

**Promises and plans**

"Optimus, we must talk." – Skyfire was unusually serious and Optimus knew that whatever he wanted was a big thing, important to him.

"Of course Skyfire. Go ahead."

"It's about Starscream. We managed to sort of… talk and he is pretty desperate. He lost everything and, well, I'd like to help him in some way."

Optimus Prime nodded. He knew this issue would come up again, he knew that Starscream was around as a ghost, he felt it, heard it and he could well imagine what the Seeker felt about the events that took place. Even though it was mostly instigated by the Matrix, Optimus couldn't help but feel a bit guilty about the bonding with the two Seekers, who were Starscream's Trine-mates before, taking the Seeker's rightful place. It must have been incredibly painful for the proud Seeker to see. He felt the ghost of this feeling in Skywarp's mind, remembering when they thought Starscream deactivated and it was quite intense.

Even now his circuits roiled at the thought of loosing his Trine and he was a Seeker for less than an orn; the circuit instincts, the Seeker coding ran that deep. He could well imagine Starscream swearing a bloody revenge against him for taking his frame, his trine, his role among the Seekers… and as fair-minded as Optimus was he could well understand it and would do anything he could to help the Seeker. Since he'd carried the Matrix, it was in a way his doing.

"What is it that he wants?"

"To live again… he lost everything in a very short time. I'm not saying that he is innocent, but it is still too cruel a fate to have to be around but unable to do anything as he watches what was his taken away." – Skyfire was unusually eloquent, almost emotional.

Optimus knew their history together with the Seeker, he could well understand the shuttle's wish to help his friend… his almost-lover. At times like this Optimus was ashamed about his access to the Seeker's memory banks, because it made him feel like a peeping Tom. At the same time it gave him such an in-depth insight to the usually cryptic Seeker that made understanding far easier.

"Believe me, Skyfire, I can understand it very well. But we don't have the resources now to conduct experiments to that nature, much less specialists who could help in it. I have already promised to Thundercracker that if we manage to free our Autobots, the science team will work on it." – Optimus didn't make that promise to the blue Seeker just to placate him; he meant every word of it. – "But we need to free them first and take over Cybertron with its supplies, labs and resources. This moon is nothing but a refugee."

"I understand it. But if you restart the war again, then research will focus on that as well. I remember, just as you do how long the war went on before… before the ambush."

"It is true… but there are differences now. We can finish this operation with one attack, because we have significant advantages now. In fact I'm going to hold an officer's meeting in a few breems and there you can hear it all. All in all, if our plan successful, it will be a fast and decisive victory… - Optimus looked contrite for a klik –" … much like their own was."

"I understand Prime. Thank you." – Skyfire could see that Optimus Prime meant his promise just as much as he meant the possibility of a quick ending to the war. – "I'll try my best to convey this to him when I can."

"You can… sort of converse with him?"

"It is like he merges with me and we can sense each other's thoughts. He can't maintain it for long and it is quite imprecise… but yes, we can. Somewhat."

"Could you… I know that it is a lot to ask but could you ask him if he'd help? We might be able to break the slave codes, but since he wrote them, he could dissolve them far easier. It would be a great help." – Optimus knew that he was asking a lot from Skyfire and that Starscream might just simply refuse to help them. He didn't want to blackmail the Seeker with the promise either. – "It is not connected to what I promised to him. We will research his condition as soon as we can. But right now it would be a great help."

Skyfire was silent for a few kliks. It was a lot to ask from Starscream, who was just a few breems ago ready to give up and pass away for good while hating the Prime for what he took away from him. On the other servo, it would give him a goal, something to do and to work for.

"He needs to stay close to you – to his former frame, or he sort of… dissolves. So even if he does what you ask, it would require both of you."

"I didn't know that." – Optimus was surprised but in retrospect it did make sense. The times when he felt hot or cold, tingling in his circuits, arousal or some mech fiddling with his codes or laughter echoing around… others heard Starscream's ghostly effects too, but he has always been near Optimus, centering on him, staying with him most of the time. The plans that he started to work out should be tweaked a bit to include this bit of knowledge as well.

"I'll consider this too when we make the plans. We need a connection to the Autobots anyway and Skywarp will be necessary in that. Considering what you've just told me, we should go again."

* * *

**Rumours and hopes**

A few orns has gone before the Autobot slaves gathered again for a night-cycle conversation in the barracks. That they had something to do that could, in time help their fate was lifting everyone's mood. Since the organization of the rebuilding work fell considerably, they had far more free time than before and many of them were quite bored. Incidentally, the same was true for the Decepticons too, who, lacking a war to fight and many of their former, more violent pastimes grew restless and some were even willing to talk with the Autobots.

"I gathered some quite important news." – Prowl looked still faintly annoyed for having to converse with the Stunticons, never the most intelligent or logical mechs, but also a bit satisfied for gaining knowledge from them. – "We knew already that Starscream was deactivated. But I learned that Optimus was transplanted into his frame by Megatron's order."

"What?! How? Why?" – the loud disbelief of several mechs threatened to rose to levels that might even draw some Cons into the barracks. Prowl and Jazz tried to calm the rest of them down.

"Cool it down mechs, we don't want to draw attention to us."

"I found it strange too, unbelievable even, but they say Megatron was obsessed by the Seeker after he deactivated him more or less unintentionally. After Starscream was gone, he beat Optimus instead repeatedly and after one such when Optimus was barely alive, he ordered Hook to put him into the Seeker's frame."

Opposite to the previous uproar, this bit of news garnered an uneasy quiet in the barracks. They knew very little about Optimus's fate, only that with Megatron it wasn't as easy and uneventful as theirs. Still, what Prowl said was unimaginable. That Optimus lost his familiar, well-known truck frame and got that particular Seeker's who was the main instigator of the end of the war and everything that came after – it was quite unbelievable.

"B-but why?" – Bumblebee just couldn't understand it. – "Is he mad?"

"Yes, it is quite likely that Megatron became… unhinged. It was alluded that he drinks inordinate amounts of high-grade and does practically nothing. Even his speeches became garbled, incomprehensible and his actions even more so."

"And how do they take it? I mean the Cons?" – Sideswipe grasped the importance of Megatron's madness easily.

"I'll tell that too, but first I finish what I learned about Optimus." – Prowl continued. – "About the same time that Jazz made that ruckus, Optimus disappeared. I couldn't glean how or why, because the Stunticons didn't know anything about it, but he is certainly not in Kaon any more and Megatron is fuming, drinking all the time and beats everyone who dares to ask him about it."

"I might be able to shed some light to the how." – Silverbolt interrupted the questions before they could be asked. – "Blast Off said that Skyfire has disappeared too, at the same time. They just made it back from Earth and he got called away to that diversion and by the time they got back, Skyfire was gone. Skyfire could have taken Optimus away, even if the Prime couldn't fly – likely with the slave codes and him not being a flier anyway."

"Since it happened the same time as Jazz saw the Seekers sneak into the town, we can safely assume that these events were connected." – Prowl summed up what they've learned. – "The Seekers probably came because they heard something about Starscream and wanted to either rescue or avenge him. Finding Optimus in his frame and probably unable to fly they recruited Skyfire, who was likely happy to help. So in all likelihood, Optimus and Skyfire are with the Seekers, wherever they've gone to."

"That's good. He is better off with them than with Megatron…"

"Are you sure? He is occupying their deactivated Winglord's frame. They might not take it nicely…" – Air Raid's insight was disturbing and they had to concede that it was a possibility. Seekers were in general a quite unpredictable, but vengeful and violent bunch.

"Besides consider what Thundercracker and Skywarp have to say about that. Starscream was their bondmate…" – Silverbolt hissed uneasily at the notion. That was understandable even for grounders and the Autobots started to see Optimus's fate in a less favorable light than before.

"We can't help that from here. And don't forget that Optimus can handle mechs, even inimical ones. He is good with words, believable and trustworthy and if anyone can talk out himself from a situation like this, it's him." – Smokescreen added his point of view to lighten the darkening mood a bit. It was, he thought even possible; Optimus was a born diplomat and hopefully able to talk his way out from the wrath of a bunch of angry Seekers even.

"Let's hope that…"

"Right. As for the Cons, they are like… almost leaderless. I mean Megatron doesn't care about anything, Screamer is gone, Shockwave too and Soundwave is fed up with managing the whole empire. The rest of them are not the type to want to lead or indeed do much work."

"I've observed a strange thing about their morale…" – Ratchet so far was quiet but now he spoke up – "Hook's behaved really strangely for the last few groons. He never stays alone, always wants his gestalt around, checks his surroundings compulsively, twitches at every laughter and… Long Haul said he is afraid of a ghost and he is not even the only one."

"Yeah, I heard that from other Cons too!" – Bumblebee added excitedly – "They keep hearing a ghost and they're pretty much terrified of it!"

"Not just a ghost, but a specific one. Starscream."

"Whoa… Ole Screamer just refuses to die, right?" – Jazz joked about it, but he too heard about the ghost just a bit too much for it to exist only in drunken imagination of bored mechs.

"Right." – they all looked up at the scratchy voice that came from the door and was more or less familiar. As in… familiar like belonging to the mech in question. – "He does that. In more ways than one."

The frame in the doorway was a winged, tricoloured one, backlit from the outside but still unmistakably Starscream's.


	10. Empire

Warning: major character death

* * *

**Chapter 10. Empire**

* * *

**Plans**

"So… what are we going to do?" – Skywarp was the first to ask, but Optimus knew that the rest of them were just as eager to act as he. Besides the Trine, Sunstorm was sitting with them in the designated command area, because the golden Seeker proved to be pretty useful lately, far more so than many of the louder Seekers who lacked any initiative or logical thinking, despite of their boisterousness. Skyfire was also there, uneasily shifting on his seat, uncomfortable, as always by towering over everyone and indicating that Starscream was around too. These orns Starscream stuck close to the shuttle even more than he did to Optimus, which as he expressed to Skyfire, was only by necessity.

Optimus Prime knew that the situation was horrible to the deceased Seeker, he had Skyfire expressing it quite eloquently to him just a few orns ago. He still winced as that conversation came up in his memories – one would not expect such a chewing out from the mild-mannered, calm and shy shuttle. No matter that he wasn't the instigator of what happened, he was still the beneficiary of them, while Starscream lost everything he had. He meant to help him if he could, but Optimus was no scientist and therefore he could only offer the Autobots help – and he didn't blame Starscream to be skeptic about that promise. To trust someone who was one his enemies, while being abandoned by his trine-mates… must have been hard.

"I intend to free the Autobots and preferably end this war for good." – he knew that it wouldn't be easy. The Seekers, after all used to be Decepticons and only Starscream's fate split them from Megatron's army.

"As far as it includes deactivating Megatron, I'm in it." – that was of course Skywarp, still driven by the need to revenge Starscream – if possible, even more so since he knew about his ghost and felt it ignoring him and Thundercracker out of hurt, and the feeling of betrayal. They did betray him, Skywarp thought, after a fashion, even if they couldn't do anything to resist the Matrix's machinations.

"That is a given. This war has gone on far too long already..." – Thundercracker felt the wish for revenge too and he had never wanted the war in the first place. If not for his trine-mates, he might have became an Autobot, preferring less violent solutions than slaughter and destruction. – "…and I don't like to see any mechs as slaves either. It wasn't what we set out for."

"I agree. Without Megatron the Decepticons can be integrated and helped to learn to be better than just be war-builds. We can only rebuild Cybertron together." – Skyfire knew that there could be no mercy for Megatron, even if it made him feel uneasy. He was a peaceful mech but still he felt a hot hatred for what he did to Starscream. He could only imagine what it felt like for his mates… his former mates that is. Theirs was a queer situation since they knew that Stars was around and felt betrayed by them.

"I see… I must tell you that if possible, I'd like to avoid killing anyone. Wouldn't you accept a reformat for Megatron if it is possible?"

"No! I will kill him first!" – Skywarp shouted angrily. Thundercracker just narrowed his optics and shook his helm. Optimus Prime has always been naïve… Skywarp jumped on his thrusters and started to pace the room. He was angry, troubled, sorry for Starscream and generally hardly able to cope with his roiling emotions. Throwing his servos in the air, wings high and quivering with anger, he glowered at Optimus, trying to make him see it through the bond, conveying what he felt about it. It was satisfying to see him wince and send back an apology.

"You can't kill him alone, Sky. Optimus… we can't let it go. As Seekers, as Starscream's Trine… well, former trine – we simply can't forgive him to deactivate Stars." – the blue Seeker hoped that Optimus, in his Seeker frame now could understand them, accept the need for revenge as they showed it to him.

"Thundercracker… I… I can feel that drive to payback, like you say. I will think about it. But… are you sure that a reformat wouldn't satisfy it?"

"No."

"No way!"

He heard the firm negatives and almost felt the ghost's enraged screech in his circuits. It was a losing battle, Optimus felt it more by the klik. He winced at the mounting helmache and tried to calm the ghost down. He got pretty vicious sometimes.

"I see… But even in this case I want to keep the casualties to the absolute minimum."

"I don't care about the rest."

"Soundwave can be negotiated with." – Sunstorm added – "He is loyal to Megatron, but once he is out of the picture, he won't pursue revenge. It is fortunate that Shockwave was deactivated – his loyalty was far more ferocious."

"So, here is what I intend to do…" – Optimus outlined a plan that was simple but efficient, promising both the battle that the Seekers' vengeance demanded and the surprise that would be necessary to get Megatron.

* * *

**Reunited**

The air in the Autobots' barrack was thick enough to cut with a knife. Silent too as they could only stare at the winged frame in the doorway. It is one thing to joke with somemech be deactivated and become a ghost but quite another to have him come at you in reality. They knew that Starscream was dead well beyond any shade of doubt. Megatron could be trusted with one thing and that was that when he deactivated someone, they stayed deactivated. But the Seeker was standing there, big as life and unmistakable in his frame, colours and most importantly his voice. Further proof was the similarly well-known blue and black frames flanking him.

Only when he stepped inside the better lit space, followed by his trine-mates they started to notice the slight differences. He was Starscream… and he was not. Taller, stronger, a shade darker, with the regal gold stripes, he was like Starscream reborn. The Matrix that usually wasn't an immediately noticeable thing, hidden as it generally was, but the time spent together with Optimus Prime on the Ark and during the Earth campaign made the Autobots a bit more sensitive to its presence – and those closer to him had became aware of the subtle, throbbing power that radiated from him. The unimaginable, unlikely, unbelievable thought rose in their minds. What was so far a theory stemming from a mere rumour, has suddenly became a fact. He was – he had to be – Optimus Prime.

"Prime…?" – it was Jazz who shook first the frozen disbelief from his vocalizer. With optics wide under his visor, he lifted a servo towards him, almost as he wanted to but didn't quite dare to touch the Seeker plating. The blue Seeker beside him took a half step towards him, his own servo rising in an aborted move of wanting to keep the dangerous grounder away before he remembered why they were there and that the Autobots were restrained with the slave codes that prevented any dangerous moves.

"Yes, Jazz, it is me, Optimus Prime." – it was unbelievable to hear the utterance in Starscream's still slightly scratchy but deeper voice. – "It is a long story, but the main culprits in it are – strange as it may sound – Megatron and the Matrix."

"Quite unlikely pair, if ye ask me" – Jazz, as usual hid his incredulity with a joke.

"Indeed…" – he looked uncertain for a few kliks – "I take it that you've already heard some of it?"

It was so much easier to explain and make them believe what happened if it wasn't a complete surprise to them.

"We heard Starscream's deactivation by Megatron, the Seekers' exodus, and your transplant into his frame." – Prowl as usual was precise, but the other Autobots coming closer around them, except the Seekers' side, also nodded as he listed the relevant items. – "Then Thundercracker and Skywarp taking with you to the hiding place of the Seekers."

"Good. I can't really add much to that, only that the Seekers gave me back the Matrix, and it then saw fit to remade me and reknit the Trine bonds between us. I was also challenged by other Seekers and fortunately won."

Most mechs looked bland at the latter part, but the Aerialbots' widening optics and flaring wings showed that they, at least understood the implications. It took mere kliks for Prowl to come to the same conclusion that the fliers knew instinctly.

"Does it mean that you are leading the Seekers now?"

"Are we allies then?" – Jazz was fairly sure of it, but the other two Seekers were pretty much silent, so he wanted to have it stated aloud.

"Yes, we are allies and we work for the same goal – freedom and peace."

"High time, Bossmech." – Jazz's relief was nearly visible. – "We haven't been idle either. Ah've made some progress with the slave code and…"

"It won't be necessary Jazz. Starscream IS around and he can change the slave codes in a klik."

"Uhhh… you mean… the ghost is… it is real?"

"Yes. We don't know how, but he remained around after Megatron extinguished his spark. Skyfire can communicate with him somewhat, and most of us can feel him being near."

The sudden coldness that flooded his sensors unnerved the Autobot saboteur like hardly anything could. It merged into his plating, his circuits and for a while he was torn between his sensors reporting everything normal, while he felt the cold, the unmistakable, but only faintly there presence and someone casually fiddling in his processor that even his best firewalls couldn't keep out. He heard a sarcastic laugh and the slave codes that he was fighting with for so long just melted away like they never plagued his meta. His optics widened under the visor and automatically he looked around – but of course nothing was seen.

"Ah… see…" – he managed to stutter out.

Prowl was a bit less enthusiastic when the presence invaded him, but he managed to keep his calm. He was one of those few who immediately realized that the ghost could hear them and was probably quite peeved out for others to talk about him as though he wasn't present.

"What do you want in exchange, Starscream? I don't think you do it from sheer philanthropy."

"He wants us to help him regain a frame and I promised our help in this." – Optimus Prime answered him.

"That's all?" – Sideswipe's disbelieving voice interrupted them. – "He is not known for…"

"It is quite a lot for a mech who has lost everything but had to stick around to see it taken away." – Skyfire's deep voice joined the conversation, his big frame leaning warningly towards and over the twins.

"Well, of course you'd believe him…" – Sunstreaker wasn't far behind to support his bother.

"Enough." – both twins looked shocked at Optimus Prime, whose wings flared in a distinctly firm, almost threatening display. – "I have reason to trust Starscream and you will have to accept my word on it."

"We've been freed from the slave code, Sunny. Pretty compelling argument, if ya ask me."

Jazz knew that they'd have to deal with this and silence the twins before the ghost got angry. More and more mechs nodded hesitantly at him, feeling their processors unimpeded by the codes that told them what to do for so long.

"See? He's certainly holding up his end of the bargain."

"I'd be gladly helping in any effort to determine how such an apparition can exist and how it can be brought alive again." – Perceptor paused for a klik, embarrassed by the inexact expression he used. – "I mean alive in a physical way, since Starscream is perceivably alive in a nonphysical one." – he was shuddering as the cold presence swept across his senses then lifting a brow plate in apparent curiosity.

"Count me in too." – Ratchet's gruff voice joined the conversation, the medic called back to the barracks by Bumblebee who also filled him in on the events so far. – "He shouldn't exist without a spark at all. Much less capable of interacting with us. I must know how it is possible."

"Shouldn't we be worried about Cons surprising us like this?" – Tracks enquired.

"We left guards outside." – it was Thundercracker who answered him in a slightly insulted tone – "Don't take us for fools, Autobot."

"Because theatrics are not the only thing you Seekers are… uhh…" – Tracks glanced at his leader, now also a Seeker, nervously and shut up. Skywarp snickered loudly, with Jazz joining him soon.

"Petty verbal battles were not what I had in mind." – Optimus Prime noted, not even bothering with a wing display. Tracks was amusing almost, acting so embarrassed. Was it him noticing the prejudice of his mechs against Seekers more acutely or him being one brought it out from them? Optimus didn't know but they had more important things to do.

"Here is what I want you to do…"

* * *

**The Great Decepticon Empire**

Soundwave sighed. Inwardly of course, but the fact that even Frenzy could pick up a thread of his annoyance through the docking connection was telling. His control was eroding, slowly but surely and the telepath had no idea, for the first time in his very long life what to do. He knew the cause, he knew the whys, he understood the process – but he was completely unable to help it. The problem was widespread, complex and resisting a solution.

Megatron was very nearly permanently overcharged these orns, only the level of his drunkenness changing with his moods. The abundance of available energon didn't help any; back before the victory at least that curbed the warlord's high-grade intake, just like it did his troops'. It used to be acceptable, even in a small way beneficial for the Decepticons to be overcharged once or twice a vorn in a party and blow off the accumulated steam, brawl out the accumulated insults and grievances, interface out the accumulated wishes and daydreams about each other. Yes, it was perfectly fine, as long as it was occasional and limited by the everpresent energon shortage.

But these orns… these orns it wasn't only Megatron permanently overcharged. They had a whole army that had nothing to do but with too much to play with. They conquered what they wanted, the slaves did all the work and Decepticons in general had no hobbies to occupy their plentiful free time. Where did that leave them? Most Decepticons did nothing all through the orn, just ambled out of their spacious houses late in the day cycle, strolled up the main plaza, found someone to drink with and do that until the orn ended and they lay around completely wasted. The few who actually had to do some work, hated it and had to be ordered to do it under serious threats.

They were all, without exception bored out of their processors. Megatron missed or postponed more and more of his scheduled speeches, as even he could hardly make up anything that sounded even remotely rousing. Every mech knew that they were not going to go after the Seekers ever. They weren't found anyway, not that anyone made a serious effort to do so, and Soundwave himself, the best suited for the job had to stay on Cybertron and manage the Empire's orn to orn workings – a task that he hated, that he wasn't the best suited for; but lacking any other suitable officers, he had to do.

Soundwave knew perfectly well and Megatron suspected too that the Decepticon army wasn't any more able to triumph over anything, much less the probably vengeful Seekers. The last muster, inspecting the army revealed so many inadequacies that Soundwave still shuddered sometimes at the list. They even found actual _rust_ on some mechs' weapons, beside serious misalignments, poor maintenance, lack of ability to concentrate, abominable results in sharpshooting, fighting and… nearly ever area they inspected. Megatron ranted at them for joors and ordered stricter rules, beat up some who had the worse stats – but now, after nearly a groon afterwards, Soundwave knew that nothing has changed. Or if anything has, it was for the worse.

He didn't even dare to think about the grand ideas and noble reasons that they had for rebelling against the Senate.

Controversially, the Autobot slaves almost prospered. They had work to do, long joors of hard physical toil every orn, strict schedules and very little to take their attention off of it – and the galaxy's best medic to keep them in the excellent shape. Hook didn't compare on his best orn, but since he was severely punished for Starscream-Optimus's disappearance, he did his work only as well as it was strictly required – barely scraping adequate. The science lab, since Shockwave's demise and Starscream's deactivation was deserted, valuable equipment gathering dust only in the quiet of the energon-splattered chambers.

The slaves didn't get any high-grade legally, but Soundwave knew that the red twin, Sideswipe had a little distillery hidden somewhere and produced a little from their regular rations. He never put a great effort into finding it while it caused no problem. In a true Autobot fashion, one that Soundwave admired secretly as one of their greatest strengths, but never dared to reveal for anyone, they all cooperated by donating some of their own rations for the cause. What he could never understand was that even those who never drank high-grade participated.

When he asked Ratchet, the medic cast him an indecipherable look and answered with one word, _camaraderie_, like it explained everything. For him it probably did and Soundwave didn't dare to delve into the concept any deeper. It didn't sound anything he could implement among the Decepticons to make things get better and he was sure that Megatron wouldn't approve of it anyway. But the slaves… despite of being slaves, missing freedom and having to do hard work under the supervision of sometimes cruel and bored mechs, like Motormaster or Vortex – they prospered more mentally than any of the Decepticon army. If anything, the shared hardships made them even closer than before, making even formerly inimical mechs, like Sunstreaker and Cliffjumper become civil towards each other.

Soundwave firmly believed that they would be a danger in time if present trends were to continue. Of course they had no weapons and the codes held them securely, but the telepath knew that time was on their side. With patience, mechs like Jazz could theoretically overcome the slave protocols; and if they managed to hide just one weapon every vorn, found among the rubble they cleared away and repair it, then in time they'd all be able to fight. The planet's surface after millenias of warfare was basically overflowing with instruments of war that they had orders to turn in… but loopholes existed in every order carelessly worded and that same frontliner, Sideswipe, together with Prowl, the tactician proved to be masters of finding those ambiguities.

But the telepath didn't feel like up to catching them all the time. He was overworked in a position he didn't like and surrounded by idiots, lazy glitches and drunken oafs. After a few vorns of fighting with proverbial windmills, Soundwave easily included his lord in those categories, just like his own cassettes. He was sure that the end would come, it was inevitable, he just wasn't sure when and what form it'd take. But he was a survivor, so Soundwave made plans and prepared for all eventualities.

Seeker!Optimus after all didn't just disappear into thin air, he knew. As recordings proved he was saved by the rogue Seekers… but from then on, Soundwave couldn't deduce what could have happened, had he been accepted as Starscream or deactivated as an impostor. In either case, the Seekers would come back, but it did matter whether they did it with a leader or just in blind fury for vengeance. The slaves represented a separate problem, one that he couldn't really prepare for.

But the scene was set. He felt it in tiny little things that were hardly worth the attention in themselves, but together painted an ominous picture.

* * *

**Alarm**

Soundwave was preparing a report for Lord Megatron about the cleanup effort – much as their leader wasn't interested in the details, he was still angered when none was presented to him. It caused him unnecessary work and took away from his limited time but Soundwave still did it, out of the remnants of his loyalty to the cause and to Megatron. The perimeter alarm that started to blink in bright purple was one the guards should have noticed before him in the monitor room and sent out a patrol. His computer was, for Primus's sake the last to be notified, the linkup installed as an afterthought, a redundancy to the main defense systems. After all, defense was not his responsibility… but whose it was exactly, Megatron never declared clearly. It took him a full klik to search for the mechs on duty and reach them on the comm.

"Motormaster: perimeter alarm on." – the comm line that opened on the other end echoed with… groans? The slagging truck was fragging his team on duty? Soundwave rarely if ever resorted to swearing, but right now he felt the need strongly. Tucking the urge back to the background he reiterated the warning, raising the volume. – "Guard room attention. Perimeter alarm. Recon team: necessary."

"I bet it is just another drone with a faulty locator, wondering away." – the answering voice was bored and breathy, belonging to Breakdown.

"Nevertheless: necessary to check."

"All right mech, don't get your diodes in a bunch." – it was Wildrider's typical brand of crazy disrespect for any authority – "I'll go and check. At least I can spin my tires a bit."

The mad racer was gone barely a breem when Soundwave heard the first explosion. On his way up to Megatron's tower apartment he had a fairly good view of the city and saw the billowing smoke and flames suspiciously where a defense artillery bank was situated. Just as he was comming Motormaster again, he saw the second explosion, taking out yet another of the perimeter guard stations. It couldn't have been a coincidence, it was going to be an attack – every sense he had screamed it to Soundwave.

With faster steps, nearly a run he reached the warlord's apartment door, expecting him to rush out in any klik, to go to the scene – but no mech left the rooms, no sound came from behind the door. Soundwave entered and saw Megatron in an ignominious position, sprawled ungainly over the back of a couch, faceplates planted helm first into the floor. Circling the couch he could deduce the events; the clearly heavily overcharged warlord probably jumped up at the sound of the explosions, started to run towards the window to see it and fell over the other couch, crashing his helm into the hard metal floor. The momentum must have been just enough to knock him offline, the telepath mused, chasing away the other thread of thought which quietly questioned _this_ leader's diminishing worth.

On the outside, he saw at least a few mechs driving or flying towards the scene and saw the next two explosions, taking place in their route. So someone was coordinating the attack, he concluded, while they lacked Megatron, mechs able to fight, determination and… everything. He logged in the defense computer remotely and saw a white shuttle passing on orbit, way outside the range of the defense cannons. In the meanwhile, he lifted the tyrant into a more normal position, but since he was no medic he couldn't bring him online. In a klik he felt Megatron's systems rebooting and another klik he unshuttered dim red optics that flashed suspiciously at his closeness.

Soundwave took a step backwards, lifted his servos placating and reported the attack. He had so far avoided Starscream's fate and he planned to keep it that way. Anything that took Megatron's attention off him and his suspicions away from him, he employed shamelessly. It was telling how long it took for his overcharged, probably aching processor to comprehend Soundwave's report and jump onto his pedes, looking out of the window.

"Orders My Lord?" – Soundwave decided to play it absolutely safe. He had already sent the second level alert to every Decepticon currently on the planet – all, his memory banks supplied the number – but he wasn't going to order them to mobilize.

Megatron whirled, glowering at his apparent nonchalance.

"Every mech to their designated station! The rest, assemble at the main square! It must be an attack!"

A simply _brilliant_ deduction, Soundwave's tired processor supplied the renitent thought, but he repressed it by force of will coming from much practice. – "As you wish, Lord Megatron."

He sent the order and followed Megatron out of the balcony and down to the plaza. The plaza saw barely a few dozen mechs in various states of being tired, overcharged, recharge-deprived and suffering from aching processors. Several of them were dirty with energon and various fluids smeared on their armour, weapons askew, probably roused from wild partying by the alarm. They had to fight the attacking Seekers – probably Seekers, he corrected himself, as they had yet to see the intruders – with these?

Megatron was shouting at his comm, trying to reach the Stunticons who were, who had to be if they knew what was good for them, the first in the scene. None of them answered and it was a cause for some alarm. As he continued shouting, Soundwave again accessed the defense computers and set it highlighting their own mechs all around the city. Far more effective than roaring into comms, but then, less showy too. The results were bad. Half of those ordered to defensive positions were already down, their marker changing from healthy blue into offline green and one even shone with the deep purple of permanently offlined – dead. He shunted the report to Megatron and awaited orders. He didn't have to wait for long.

"Decepticons! Attack!" – Megatron struck a dramatic pose, pointing towards the site of the explosions. - "We will destroy the cowardly attackers!"

Soundwave shrugged. Inwardly of course. If his orders were to go into an ambush, then into an ambush he went. The attackers were surprisingly leaving the fallen enemies offline only, instead of deactivated. That one might have been a mistake or maybe a Stunticon car in a particularly fighting spirit. It almost shouted that their enemy wanted to win but not to obliterate. He could live with that.

The ragtag army moved on the main street, Megatron sending out flankers, showing that he was remembering at least some military knowledge. They were attempting to achieve something of a military formation, but it was hard with mechs only halfway online and barely able to think. Megatron took point and Soundwave stayed by his left shoulder, leaving the other side for Onslaught. A quick glance between them and into his processor told the telepath that the cannonformer's thoughts were little different from his own.

* * *

**Battle**

That was when they first saw the Seekers rising over the buildings. In a way it was a unique situation, since before this occasion in every battle the Seekers were on their side, never facing them as enemies. Soundwave knew that no mech has bothered to update their battle plans accordingly, others because it was never ordered, himself because strategic planning was definitely not his job. He ordered the mechs with them to disperse and find cover, discovering with dismay that most flight-capable Decepticons were already taken out. Not that many would have lasted for long against the masters of the skies.

The first volley was, as expected from the Seekers, brief and intended more to scatter them than to do any actual damage. In this way, they could be picked out one by one. Soundwave drew behind a wall, trying to establish contact with their remaining mechs. He also sent his cassettes to try and online some of the Cons taken out earlier and check on the slaves. Megatron, as expected was shouting at the fliers, calling them despicable cowards, deplorable traitors and such, so Soundwave decided not to follow the insults after the first two. He was also shooting at them, but they knew him, knew his patterns, his fusion cannon and were very careful not to be caught in its discharges.

But they did draw on his reserves and it was their possible goal – weakening the strongest fighter. But it could only go so far, Soundwave thought, after a while it must come to open fighting. The shootout continued for the next few breems but the telepath keeping tabs on all mechs had to realize that seemingly it was only their side loosing mechs while all the Seekers were still flying, and only one had a slightly smoking thruster, hampering his ability to fight. Then, as Frenzy's awareness fell out of his meta, the telepath started to worry. There shouldn't have been any danger where he sent them, to the offline Decepticons. The Seekers did not have ground forces. They could not have such. The slaves were safely held back by the codes. So who was picking out the remaining Decepticons one by one? Did they have a new, unexpected enemy?

They were down to a mere dozen when he saw it. The bright colours of the former Autobots ducking in and out from buildings, taking potshots at them with rifles so old that they must have come straight out of the Quintesson wars, encircling and herding them into the Seekers' crossfire. Then he saw their frontliners rising out of the rubble and attack them outright. He was forced to defend himself, since the slave codes had apparently been turned inoperational and the battle-frenzied processors offered little for him to work with.

He was forced backwards, hard put to defend himself effectively against the red and yellow twins, who haven't bothered with fire-weapons but were snarling at him like the battle-demons they used to be. Between them he saw Megatron bellowing upwards, ordering the cowardly traitors to land and fight him – so far he was more or less avoided, only gotten a few shots that barely even slowed him down. His fusion cannon was more or less ruined though; whose pinpoint shooting damaged the contact points between the cannon and the arm, Soundwave never saw, but it effectively relieved Megatron of his strongest weapon.

Then he was nailed to the wall behind him by a burning sword as soon as his attention wandered, and Soundwave made a split-klik decision; dropping his own cannon, he lifted the free arm out, palm upward, in the universal gesture of surrender. The cannon was snatched up and the telepath roughly thrown down, before Sunstreaker turned, seeking out enemies still standing. There were none standing any more, only Megatron and the Autobot circle drew tighter around him, the smaller mechs, noncombatants darting behind, handcuffing the Decepticons, collecting the weapons.

It was over already, but Megatron seemed not to even notice it. He kept ordering his troops around, mindless of the fact that none could answer any more. He kept shooting with a stray blaster, ineffectively at the overhead circling Seekers. Finally, one of them flew lower, two following in a classic Trine formation and they landed in front of him. The Elite Trine of Vos, just like eons ago… with the leader slightly different. Soundwave stared at him, at Optimus, whom he must have been, and took in the differences. The answer was glaringly obvious, once he connected the dots: Starscream's frame, Optimus Prime's meta and spark and the Matrix. Megatron hasn't caught on yet.

"Finally, my little pet deigned to come down to me…" – he sneered, ignoring, indeed not even noticing the sheer difference in size, colours and attitude of the mech in front of him – "Have you learned to fly, pet?"

"Megatron." – Optimus Prime's deep, slightly scratchy voice from Starscream's vocalizer sobered the warlord up a little. He ignored the taunting completely. – "We've come to finish this war for once and all."

"Good. Then go back to your hole slaves and I might be merciful once more!"

"There won't be any slaves any more Megatron." – he looked almost sad, something Soundwave rarely saw on those haughty faceplates before. "I won't let it."

"You? You are nothing Starscream! A coward! Weakling! Traitor!"

"I am Optimus Prime. But I owe Starscream what he couldn't finish. I owe him for this frame that you defiled. I owe him vengeance."

Soundwave never thought that he would one orn hear these words from the vocalizer of Optimus Prime. Apparently the merging of the Seeker's frame and his own processor resulted in a warrior slightly less foolish and softsparked than before. He continued to sit on the ground, guarded by his cheerful counterpart, Blaster and shuddered a little. This sounded a real Prime. He skimmed the mech's processor, perceiving the surface emotions only, but it too proved to be different. Gone was the hesitation and the noble self-sacrificing weakness and sad determination took their place. There was even a trine-bond supporting and protecting him among the swirling feelings, an impossibility, but Soundwave learned to trust his own perceptions long ago and so he didn't doubt in it either.

Unbidden, the thought rose in his processor… he could follow this Prime. He had not followed the previous one, because Sentinel was as bad as the Senate, while Megatron promised to be different, to fix the problems in Cybertron's society. He had not followed the new, young and untested Prime, because he'd promised to be a mere pawn in the servos of the politicians and later he showed critical weaknesses that promised a swift end to the war. But now… now it was Megatron unworthy of his loyalty any more.

"We will finish it now." – even Megatron sounded more sober by this time. He was weakened, his processor throbbed with hangover, he was probably low on energon, damaged a little and unable to use his strongest weapon – but he was still stronger than a Seeker. Or so he thought. Because, Soundwave saw even from his position that the Matrix has changed Starscream's frame too, made it stronger, bigger and better protected, beside the cosmetic changes.

"We will."

They circled each other, swords sliding into servos. Optimus Prime folded back the wings that suddenly disappeared under back plating, depriving Megatron an obvious target, the sensitive appendages. The warlord looked surprised, while Soundwave involuntarily nodded, approving the upgrade. The Seekers chattered excitedly around like it was entertainment rather than a life and death match – except two who kept close to Optimus Prime, his Trine-mates, Thundercracker and Skywarp. Soundwave was sure that neither felt any inclination to hold back from the duel. In fact, if he understood Seeker customs well, those two had to have a heavy obligation to revenge their former Trine-leader and mate whom they failed to protect.

The first flurry of blows and slashes left Megatron reeling backwards in complete surprise, along with many observers. Where that Seeker frame packed so much strength, none of the onlookers knew. Although the Autobots were used to seeing Optimus Prime going up against Megatron, they were completely unfamiliar with his present frame and abilities. The Seekers on the other servo knew him to be weaker than Megatron and therefore they stood ready to help him out.

But it wasn't needed. Whether it was caused by the long-term effects of high-grade, the present hangover or the generally sluggard life he led lately, Optimus Prime was beating him soundly with hardly a wound on himself. He wasn't even merciful this time; it was hard to accept that he had to kill Megatron, but once he decided, he was going to do decisively. The blows and slashes were all aimed to kill and there was no hesitation or pulling back at the last klik. Megatron was forced to defend which he hated and became even more careless, letting in blows that he could have stopped even a few orns before.

After a few breems of the increasingly humiliating duel, Megatron collected himself somewhat and with a great roar, he attacked Optimus Prime, targeting those back plates that hid the wings, therefore must have been weaker than his armor in general. He didn't hesitate to use underhanded moves either, and at their next clash, he threw a hidden blade into Skywarp's face, straight into the optics. The teleporter reacted without thinking, jumping away, but it didn't stop the pain that flooded the bond and made Optimus half-turn towards his injured mate. Megatron brought down his sword on the vulnerable back with full force…

…and cut through the strong armor, smashing the blade into the sensitive wing-sensors. A new kind of pain flooded the Trine bond and Optimus Prime reeled back in near shock. It wasn't his first taste of how painful the wings were when injured and it brought back memories too. Far too many memories, from his own short life as Seeker and from a far longer life of abuse from Starscream's. A silent scream sounded near him too, from the ghost-Seeker. But Megatron couldn't deliver the next blow, aimed to his neck, because a blue blur slammed into him bodily, throwing the heavier frame away with an effort.

Thundercracker clamped down on the bond, silently directing them all to do the same. They had no time for pain. Optimus Prime nodded, denta clenched tight as he ruthlessly offlined all his wing sensors – he could fight without them, Ratchet could fix them later, but not now, not with the pain. Megatron just rose back to his pedes when his sword cleaved one silver shoulder in two, drawing a pained roar from the warlord. His limp servo dropped the sword and Skywarp appeared in front of him in his characteristic purple mist, screaming but smashing his own blade back into one malicious red optic.

From then on, it was no more, no less than execution. Optimus Prime stabbed him in the spark rather out of mercy than any wish to deliver the final blow; he felt his trine-mates lust for vengeance, he felt the ghost's too and between those a simple killing blow was the least he could do. Skywarp screamed that he was going to tear the fragger apart plate by plate, bolt by bolt and the teleporter with his energon-smeared face and one wild, working optic looked quite willing to go through with the threat. Thundercracker said nothing but for once he was in complete accord with his mate. Optimus Prime had to calm them down heavily after it was done and over, despite of his own rage and pain.

When finally silence fell onto the nondescript street, former slaves and former masters looked at each other like awakening from a strange dream.

The war was over.


	11. Life

_Note_**: **I know it has taken me far too long to finish this fic and for that I'm sorry - but at least now it's done. I hope all of you who followed the story enjoyed it and are satisfied with the ending as well. Thanks for all the comments, follows and favs!

* * *

**Cleanup**

Prowl directed the Autobots during the attack, while Optimus Prime had to be with the Seekers. There wasn't much time to contemplate the changes but it felt amazing to have access to his battle computer again, to be able to plan and plot ahead freely. They all luxuriated briefly in the feeling of freedom before the battle began but soon they had to act. The hidden weapons were distributed, the older ones going to the weaker shooters, while Bluestreak got the best they could scrounge up. Wheeljack gleefully put together some explosives, primitive by his standards, but adequate for the job – that is, for Bumblebee and Jazz blowing up the defense artillery so that the Seekers could come in safely.

Once Mirage reported Megatron and Soundwave collecting the remaining Decepticons in the main plaza, they all left the barracks in the agreed courses; the Aerialbots jumping into the air with a joy hardly dampened by the impending battle to join the incoming Seekers, the rest of them closing on around the Decepticons, picking off any stragglers, herding the rest into the ambush. It was easier than any of them thought, with Skyfire relaying all of them the movements of all troops and the Cons so disorganized – the whole operation was completely the opposite of that final, fatal battle vorns ago. Here, they were the focused, determined and stronger side.

Then, after some shooting and scuffles, with Megatron deactivated and Soundwave surrendering, the battle was over in mere breems. The Cons were either offline or stasis cuffed, under guard of the noncombatants and as they counted them afterwards, there was just a single casualty. Again, that long past battle came to many processors with the similarities and the mirror results; only this time they've won as decisively as the Decepticons did at that long past occasion.

There would be no slaves this time, they all knew. Optimus Prime has told that in no uncertain terms and even the most vengeful of them was tempered somewhat by their own stint in slavery. It truly didn't solve anything. Starscream's little behavioral codes, curbing aggression did more for the peacefulness of the Cons than anything they could invent – and any hurts, lost comrades and energon-baths were things of the long forgotten past. The time came when they could truly try to live together – and do meaningful work, as Cybertron needed a lot more work to clean up, rebuild and eventually to repopulate. A lot of work still for the scant few dozens of mechs they had.

So the collected, onlined and fixed Cons were brought to the main plaza, the Autobots around them, while Soundwave agreed to surrender – and in return they had gotten so favorable terms that probably no loosing army has ever got in any war on any planet before. Most of the Decepticons didn't mind it in the least, fed up by endless war and drunken peace equally; in fact mostly they needed guidance more than anything else. Their education lacking, in time it took up their spare time beside manual work that was compulsory now for every mech be it Autobot or Decepticon. The rebuilding took all of them and would do so for many vorns to come and in the meanwhile all faction symbols could scratch and fade from their plates.

A separate affair was to deal with Earth and the Humans who, after all this time, dozens of generations for them, were understandably suspicious of all Cybertronians. No matter how sincere and well-meaning Optimus Prime was, when none of the Humans who knew and trusted him were alive and the present day leaders only ever knew of Decepticons, exploiting their planet ruthlessly for as long as they remembered. Talks with them were slow, hesitant and wrought with mistrust. The energon shipments were of course stopped and there were even voices that demanded reparations as well for the damages the planet and its ecosystem suffered. Optimus Prime was sympathetic to them up to a point, but with Cybertron in an even worse shape, he could not and for a long time yet would not give such help for the Humans.

It ended the abundance of energon for Cybertron. The Decepticons had huge stockpiles of it, mostly in the form of high-grade, but it was enough for some vorns for all of them. Then the Seekers brought back the energon-producing radiation panels that Starscream had just developed, back before he was deactivated and which worked on just about any kind of radiation. The stockpiles lasted comfortably until more panels were built and installed to supply them with a strong, steady energon income. In time, as the news of a real Prime living and ruling on Cybertron again spread in the galaxy, even some Neutrals started to trickle back to see the conditions for themselves.

Things looked to be on an upward course in all matters. There was even talk of having sparklings again, returning to the old ways, but most of them decided to whip the planet in shape and not bring sparklings into the midst of a gutted planet with the still raging acid rainfalls and electric storms. The planet's ecosystem has never been strong but the eons long war destroyed even the semblance of the balance in it and it was a long process to correct. The cleanup effort was just one tiny part of things beside that.

**Promise**

The scientists of course took their promise to Starscream seriously and utilizing the well-stocked lab that Shockwave left behind him they started to delve into the mystery of the ghost and the possibilities of bringing him back to life. Although they had more pressing problems, like the clearing of the atmosphere so the acid rains would stop, they felt beholden to make good on their promise and the project provided the necessary break from the main research.

They quickly discovered though that none of the scanners could detect the ghost no matter what Starscream tried to do about it; it was still only Skyfire who could feel him directly and talk to him within his own processor. It was a close contest between Ratchet and Perceptor as to which one of them was more shocked by the scientifically unexplainable phenomena. The shuttle at least had the first-servo experience to prove it true to him but the others only had his words – and an occasional cold touch – to go by.

In the absence of hard facts, it was Wheeljack, who suggested a more practical approach. Since it was Starscream's will to remain alive as a ghost, he said it was reasonable to suppose that his will should be the thing enabling him to take residence in a new frame. The main problem was the spark of course, Starscream's distinctive essence that was gone and no mech, not even the Seeker had any idea how to reacquire it. But they did everything else they could, creating a spark chamber to match his old one and life support for it in case he could reinhabit it.

Starscream tried to enter and stay in the chamber for what felt like the millionth time. No matter how he willed it, how he decided that now he would succeed, how determined and single-minded he was… it never worked. The crystalline chamber sparkled coldly in the lab's lighting, throwing the white flickers around – but inside it was dark, silent and uninviting. Starscream never felt it his, no matter how he wanted it so or how he cursed it so. There were times when only his incorporeal state stopped him to destroy the thing and probably the lab too around it.

"WHY? Why doesn't it work? WHY?" – he raged futilely one dark cycle, several groons after the experiments started. Skyfire winced at the waves of fury and desperation that throbbed through him as the Seeker stormed around the lab unseen. Starscream's bad moods always made his processor ache, partly in honest sympathy, partly with the strange resonance that connected them. Too bad that he couldn't project calm onto the ghost to any effect.

"Tell me Skyfire, what do I have to do?" – his scream was tapering off to a keening cry as the anger suddenly turned into pain. Never the most stable mech, his moods were downright mercurial since the ghost-state began – "Or Primus, that fragger…"

Time seemed to stop in the lab, even Skyfire's sympathetic visage froze into a mask. The small noises and conversations all died down until only silence echoed within the walls. Starscream looked around, taking in the frozen figures of Perceptor and Ratchet, the rays of light coming from Optimus Prime's chest. The Matrix, he thought nervously, the fragging artifact that robbed him of his Trine and frame. The light rays melded into a shining sphere that floated in front of him, looking at the Seeker with no optics but still perceivable. The voice that called to him was strangely and perfectly normal and calm.

"Starscream."

"Y-you aren't…"

"Primus." – the smile was audible in the tone.

"Frag. What do you want… this time? Haven't you meddled enough?"

"I didn't meddle with you, my child."

"I'm just a fragging ghost!"

"That was not my doing. When you refused to return to the Well, you set your self outside my laws. What is it now that you ask from me?"

"I just want to live. I wasn't ready to die."

"You could have lived again. None of my children truly die."

"Reborn as a helpless, nameless sparkling, giving up everything I worked for? Never! I am Starscream. I won't, I can't let that go. I deserve a life! Everyone else got new chances, but you threw me away!"

"Starscream, you got uncountable chances." – if a God's voice could be wry, then Primus's now was.

"With Megatron? You call those… new chances?"

"It has always been up to you what to do with them."

"You owe me one more… you used me to give a new life to your favourite, Optimus. You robbed me of everything so he could triumph and I had to watch…" – Starscream was almost overflowing with bitterness. How could a god be so cruel?

"It wasn't intended so you could see it… it was you who stayed. But if you truly see it that way, then I offer you one more chance."

Starscream looked back to the godly apparition, not daring to hope yet.

"You can still return to me…" – Primus's voice was expectant, almost hopeful, but Starscream didn't seem happy about that choice still and the voice went on – "…or be given another chance to live now, as you wish it."

"Of course I choose the latter! But… I want my frame back!"

"No. That belongs to my Chosen now."

Starscream pouted a little, but didn't want to press his luck, not with Primus, a god. It rankled him to back down, but even he felt that he shouldn't press his luck. Such as it was…

"All right then… what do I do?"

"Nothing." – the smile was again audible in the voice even as the apparition disappeared, the light-show dissipating back into the Matrix.

Starscream felt a gentle but insistent force directing him towards the empty spark chamber that the scientist built him to take residence in. It didn't look very appealing, but it was better than being incorporeal. He moved towards it, peripherally noticing that Optimus Prime connected to the contraption, hopefully downloading the memories that belonged to him. As he got closer, instead of the cold, empty box that it felt like before, he suddenly sensed the chamber emitting warmth and welcome. Up close to it, he saw the familiar colour shining from it and even felt the sparkpulse through the crystalline walls, the well-known rhythm of his own old spark.

Merging with it felt like going home, a feeling so right and natural that he wanted to cry, laugh and scream at once. Starscream suddenly felt the limited extent of his present 'body', and while it was poor and next to nothing, nevertheless it was real in a way he missed things being for so long. He had his processor and memory banks back and through the hardline, he sent wordless thanks to Optimus Prime for those. Luxuriating in the emotions of living and sensing again he barely perceived the others standing around, still frozen in timelessness. Of course, they haven't heard the conversation… Starscream sought the vocalizer that was connected to the contraption and utilized it. Time started again with a lurch, like a jet taking off.

"Now. I need a frame. A Seeker frame!" – he snapped, in a near approximation of his old voice.

"Holy Primus on a bicycle!" – Ratchet reeled back from the table – "How the frag did you do that now?"

It was Optimus Prime answering him while disconnecting the leads from the spark chamber.

"Primus saw it fit to give Starscream another chance. Now we have to give him a new frame."

"Better yet…" – the disembodied vocalizer screeched – "I will design one and you will build it for me."

Skyfire smothered a smile as he turned away. Yes, it was definitely Starscream. As he circled around the table one of his servos stroked the bare spark chamber around one edge. In response the field surrounding the chamber shuddered, the shining light flickered and the vocalizer spewed static. Skyfire smirked again.

"Thanks, Fire." – the dry voice sounded like it was thanking his efforts but the shuttle knew it better. He patted the chamber openly then, catching the half-smile of Optimus Prime. The vocalizer spluttered with static again.

"Build me a cover first. I'm naked and I'm being molested!" – despite of the gruff voice, all mechs present heard the playful, amused undertones. Ratchet chuckled openly in the background.

"You want to be in a box, Star?"

"Primus forbid…!" – the tone shuddered, this time in fear. – "Just… just don't touch me like that, Fire. Not until I have servos to pay you back!"

"Should we attach your null-rays first?" – Wheeljack added to the conversation that was becoming almost giddy with success.

"Not a bad idea." – Starscream approved – "But still, servos first. Ratchet, can I overload the way I am now?"

"Primus! Barely more than a vocalizer but already wants to frag." – Ratchet ex-vented, half outraged, half amused – "Yes, you can, by the way. Sparks if you've forgotten. You don't even need servos for it."

"No, they are needed to strangle Skyfire."

"I thought you wanted to overload him?"

"Not while he is a fragging tease!"

The laughter mingled in the lab from several vocalizers. They haven't solved the mystery of Starscream's ghost, probably never would, but he was back and sounding mighty happy to be that way. To build a frame was nearly nothing compared to re-igniting a spark, even if Starscream were driving them to madness by his demands for his new form and there was always a Seeker or three underfoot in the lab, wanting to see Primus's miracle, the returned Starscream.

-o-o-o-

A decaorn later the frame was ready and Ratchet carefully lifted the spark into its new place, connecting it and closing up the chest armour. It usually took around a breem for the spark to integrate fully and now they were eagerly awaiting for Starscream's onlining. There was even a bet going round as to what his first words would be; the most mechs voting for frag, slag or variations thereof, with Skyfire's name in close second. The latter meant that many mechs noticed just how much the obnoxious Seeker and the patient shuttle came together while the first was a ghost. Some even knew their shared history from the ever-so-gossipy Seekers.

Ratchet had more worries than Starscream's first words. They built the frame from scratch and while Starscream trusted his abilities and his design implicitly, Ratchet was worried. Any number of things could go wrong when a brand new frame is constructed and the spark implanted the first time. His concern was only matched by Skyfire's who did most of the actual work on the new frame and was now hovering uncomfortably close behind the medic.

The frame was in itself a masterpiece. It resembled to Starscream's original frame, but somewhat sleeker and crammed with dozens of improvements that the Seeker invented or demanded. The grey metal slowly warmed as they looked on and the colour-nanites started to inhabit it, giving him the appearance of life. They were familiar colours, Starscream apparently wanting to be no different than before. Then the vents whirred to life, the fuel pump started to throb and the myriad of small noises rose that come with the healthy working of a frame and the onlookers started to hope that things would go fine.

Skyfire later always thought that it was quite anticlimactic how the whole thing ended after so much excitement. Starscream unshuttered his optics, focused them, opened his mouth to say something while the mechs around waited with bated vents – and crashed from a minuscule wire connected wrong. It took all of five kliks to repair it, a breem to scrape the fainted Skyfire up from the floor and the next time everything went without a hitch.

"Slagging glitches!"


End file.
